Fight to the end
by AEthereal Devastation
Summary: Ash does not get Pikachu to start. Instead, he gets one of the angriest Pokemon around. Please read and review. Hiatus pending rewrite.
1. Gyarados?

_**Fight to the end**_

_**A Pokemon fanfic**_

_**Ash POV**_

_**Ash is 10**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon**_

_**Chapter 1**_

"Ash, I am very sorry." Professor Oak says. "I am out of starters. I had a Pikachu, but I gave it away. Maybe in a year, you can get a Pokemon."

"No!" I cry. I cannot stand to wait a year. I turn and run from the lab. In a few minutes, I am at a body of water. I head up, and then a massive black Gyarados comes roaring out of the water. I look at its stats with my Pokedex I grabbed.

"Gyarados. **Status:** Black **Size:** 42 feet, 7 inches **Gender:** Female **Attacks:** Hydro Cannon, Earthquake, Giga Impact, Hyper Beam, Blizzard, Dragon Rage, Hydro Pump, Dragon Rush, and Double Edge. **Current attacks that can be learned:** Iron Tail, Fire Blast, Thunder, Draco Meteor and Dark Pulse. Level: 47" My Pokedex says. I stare in awe. Then Gyarados does something curious. It reaches its gargantuan head down to me, and nudges me lightly. Then it nudges one of the Poke Balls I grabbed when I fled. It pokes the ball, and vanishes in a flash of red light. The ball immediately flashes green, confirming my capture. Gyarados chose me. I am in shock. When I manage to move again, I am in wonder. I caught a shiny Gyarados over twice as large as a normal one. It will be very useful. And somehow it knows the most powerful water type move. Oh, this is good. I immediately head to Viridian City, catching a Rattata, a Pidgey, and a Spearow along the way. When I arrive, I see an Officer Jenny speaking with my mom and Professor Oak. A Growlithe is out and ready. In a few minutes, it starts looking for me. I decide to surprise them. I cry out.

"Gyrados, I choose YOU!" I roar out the last out, flinging the Poke Ball. Gyarados explodes forth in all its glory, and raises me onto its back. I am almost forty feet in the air. I cling on to Gyrados' fin, and shout out. "Gyarados, Earthquake!" I call. A massive quake shakes the area, throwing the Growlithe back. I am recognized, and my mom calls out.

"Ash, get off that evil Pokemon's back! You know Gyarados can't be trusted!" She yells frantically. Gyrados roars at this.

"Gyarados chose me. It entered my Poke Ball freely. She is my starter. That is the end of it." A couple police officers run up. One sends out a Growlithe, who promptly roasts him with a Flamethrower. Then it looks at him, looks at Gyarados, looks at me, grabs its Poke Ball, and comes running over. It moves it head rapidly, and the Poke Ball comes flying up. I catch it. Growlithe nods, and I return Growlithe. Professor Oak looks at me, shakes his head, and speaks.

"Fine. You are officially a Trainer, Ash. Use Gyarados wisely." He says. I nod in response. Then Gyarados and I head towards the Pokemon Center. We are going to fight well. When we reach there, I have to return Gyarados to fit inside. Then comes the Team Rocket raid. Two teenagers burst in. A boy with blue hair, and a girl with red hair.

"Hand over your Pokemon or prepare for trouble," The redhead says.

"Yield or make it double," the blue haired one declares. They then alternate line.

"To bring to the world devastation,"

"To unite all peoples within our nation,"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love,"

"To declare our names to the stars above,"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light,"

"Surrender now or prepare to fight,"

"Meowth! That's right!" Declares their Meowth. I decide to fight. They send out an Ekans and a Koffing. I go back and grab six Poke Balls from the abandoned Pokemon section. A seventh Pokemon pops out.

"Gastly." It declares. Another follows it.

"Abra." That one says. I run to where the Rockets are. I throw the Poke Balls. Out come a Magmar, a Electabuzz, a Scyther, a silver Dratini, and a pair of Eevee. Then someone else, a redheaded girl I saw by the river, tosses a few more Poke Balls. A Rhyhorn, Nidoran of both genders, and a Aerodactyl appear. The Aerodactyl looks at me and tackles me. It looks happy. The other Pokemon cluster with the six I grabbed. Then I send out my powerhouse.

"Gyrados, to the defense!" I shout. My Gyrados roars in hatred at the Team Rocket goons. We prepare to fight. "Gyarados, Hydro Cannon!" I shout. I scan the others. "Electabuzz, Thunder! Magmar, Flamethrower! Aerodactyl, Aerial Ace! Scyther, Slash! Dratini, Dragon Rage! Eevee, Eevee, Swift! Rhyhorn, Double Edge! Nidoran, Nidoran, Poison Sting!" I shout. With a roar, Gyarados attacks. The others follow its example. Team Rocket experiences flight. Then I recall the Pokemon. A Kangaskhan lumbers out of the abandoned Pokemon area. All of the abandoned Pokemon I recalled appear again. Abra and Gastly join them. Nurse Joy comes over. She looks at the Pokemon, which have been joined by a Clefairy and Chansey. All of them point at me. She nods.

"These Pokemon appear to want to train with you and grow strong. They are abandoned Pokemon, and unfortunately they are at the end of the time they can be allowed here. By law, they may not be released, so they will be put to sleep if you don't take them. A Horsea, Shellder, and Seel are also in this group." She informs me. I nod. She retrieves the Poke Balls, registers them, and pulls some strings. Magmar, Rhyhorn, Electabuzz, Gyrados, Scyther, Dratini, and Aerodactyl will accompany me. They all need my attention. A Staryu insists on joining the group of Pokemon going to Professor Oak's. I decide I will only catch Pokemon that wish to accompany me. They head to the lab, and I head into the forest after a nights rest. With my new Pokemon, I dash into the forest, then run across a Weedle and Caterpie locked in battle. I flout my new rule immediately and capture them. Once they are caught, they come out instantly, before they can be transferred, and evolve into Metapod and Kakuna. Then Kakuna evolves again, straight to Beedrill as I gape, and Metapod follows Beedrill's example. Then they return to their Poke Balls and are transferred. I have three bug types, five water types, five flying types if Gyarados, Aerodactyl and Scyther are counted, right normal types with Pidgey and Spearow, two poison types, a fire type, a electric type, a dragon type, a ground type and two rock types. I think I will stay in the forest for a while. I linger for three weeks, running into a Bulbasaur, Bellsprout, Oddish, Pikachu, Tangela, and a Krabby. I capture all six, then on the fourth day I run into the red haired girl who helped with Team Rocket. I heard her called Misty. I call to her.

"Enjoying the forest? Do you wish for a guide out?" I ask. She nods. Then she sees my Scyther come over to me.

"AHH! A BUG!" She screams. I recall Scyther.

"That is just my Scyther. Please follow me, Misty." I say. In a single day we are through the forest and in Pewter City. We head to the Gym. I switch a few Pokemon out first, moving Electabuzz, Magmar, Rhyhorn, and Aerodactyl to Professor Oak's lab, and getting Krabby, Horsea, Bulbasaur, and Bellsprout. I consider for a moment more, then send Dratini to the lab in exchange for Oddish. Then I head to the Gym. After the usual referee's speech, Brock sends out Gyarados. This battle is one on one. So I know who to use. "Gyarados, I choose YOU!" Gyarados explodes forth.

"GYARADOS!" She roars. The referee calls for the battle to begin, then dives for cover. Gyarados has grown quite a bit since I caught her, and is over double Onix's size, and the black has darkened. Instead of a grayish black, Gyrados is a black so dark, there is almost no light around her.

"Hydro Cannon." I call. Gyarados moves with blinding speed. In seconds, Onix has received a one hit KO. Now that is good. Gyrados roars in victory. Then I recall Gyarados. Misty looks shocked. Brock comes over.

"Ash, right?" He asks. I nod in response. "Can I borrow Gyrados for a while? A few months? I want to become the best Pokemon Breeder ever, and studying Gyrados will help." He says.

"I don't give away my starter Pokemon. Gyarados I got as a Gyarados, for my starter." Brock's siblings are gaping when they hear this. Gyrados nudges me with her massive head, and I fall over.

"You must be very skilled to have a Gyarados listening to you, then." Comes a voice from the door.

"Dad?" Brock asks.

"Yes. I watched. You may travel. I'll take over." Brock's father says. Brock asks if he can travel with me, and I confirm that he may. Misty decides to continue traveling with me as well. In the morning, we head to Cerulean via Mount Moon.

**_Like this chapter? Ash won't catch so many Pokemon soon, he just needs a decent assortment to begin with. Name any of your OC's you want to show up, and any other Pokemon you want Ash to have. Please read and review. I need a Beta, PM me if interested._**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Fight to the end**_

_**A Pokemon fanfic**_

_**Ash POV**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon**_

_**Chapter 2**_

"Ready to go?" Misty asks. For almost a month and a half, we had been finding our way through Mount Moon. Now we finally got out, and I am heading to the Gym.

"Yes." I respond.

"I have some other work to do, so I'll see you later." Misty says. I head towards the gym, and we part ways. An hour later, the Sisters of Cerulean leave their gym. They look beautiful. But I am no judge.

"Sisters of Cerulean, I challenge you to a Gym battle." I say. One of them, Daisy, tosses me a badge.

"Just take it." She says.

"I am not a thief. You have insulted me." I say in a cold tone. "Gyrados, let's go!" I roar out, and Gyrados comes forth. Several people shriek. Then Fearow appears, and immediately begins fighting Pidgeotto. Both evolved at the same time. Fearow uses Drill Peck, but Pidgeotto counters with Quick Attack, and flies high above, then comes down using Wing Attack. Fearow counters with Hyper Beam, then tries to get out of Pidgeotto's way as he dodges the Hyper Beam. But Fearow fails. He goes flying as the Wing Attack hits. But Fearow rises. I sigh in exasperation. "Dewgong, Blizzard." I say as I release Dewgong. A Blizzard comes forth from Dewgong's mouth, then Gyrados uses Thunder. My two flying types fall, unconscious.

"Just take the badge. We only have a Seaking, do you understand?" Daisy says. I sigh, then nod.

"Fine, I accept the badge."

"Not so fast. I, Misty, Gym leader of Cerulean City, accept your challenge." Misty says.

"Hello, sister." Another of Misty's sisters says.

"Bring it on." I say. We head into the Gym. Brock will referee. Misty's sisters watch.

"Horsea, I choose you!" Misty calls.

"Electabuzz, summon the storm." I say calmly. Electabuzz comes forth and immediately uses the attack we had practiced in secret. She shouldn't have been able to learn it, but she did. A Rain Dance comes forth. Then Electabuzz uses Thunder, and a thunderstorm brews. Lightning strikes everywhere, and when it hits the water, Horsea cries in pain as Electabuzz grows stronger. Electabuzz put a lot of electricity into the storm, and now receives it back ten times over. "Electabuzz, Shock Wave." The attack hits, and Horsea is knocked out. Misty is shocked.

"Staryu, I choose you!" She cries. I return Electabuzz, and call out Pikachu. The storm continues.

"Pikachu, Quick Bolt." I call. Pikachu flies forth, bolts of electricity spiraling around it. It is similar to Volt Tackle, except there is no recoil and Pikachu is moving faster. Then there is the Thunderbolt that spirals around him, allowing him to hit a foe that attempts to dodge. But Quick Bolt strikes, and Staryu, having just been hit by a bolt from the storm, faints.

"Very well. Starmie, go!" I recall Pikachu and reach for another Poke Ball.

"Gyrados, end this." I say. Misty goes white. Gyrados appears. Lightning hits it, but Gyrados just drinks it up. We had practiced with this, and now Gyrados can take a Thunder from almost any electric Pokemon and shake it off easily. "Gyrados, Thunder." The attack hits. Starmie faints from all the lightning. The storm continues for half an hour, my electric Pokemon drinking it in, then ends. I receive the badge. Then trouble appears.

"Prepare for trouble." But Team Rocket gets no farther. A trainer comes into the Gym. He tosses a Poke Ball. A normal sized Gyrados appears. It roars. Team Rocket laughs at it.

"Team Rocket, I'm Brett Kuso of New Bark Town, and I'm about to end your trouble." He says. I decide to help out.

"Gyrados, you're up!" My Gyrados appears. Team Rocket screams in fright. Brett looks at it, and smiles. "Gyrados, Blizzard!" I call. Gyrados attacks, and Team Rocket flies.

"Team Rocket is blasting off again!" They cry. Then they vanish.

"Nice Gyrados. My Pokemon are my own Gyrados, my Meganium, my Ampharos, Rhyhorn, Hoppip, and my Houndour. My Houndour doesn't like me at all. It used to lead a pack of Houndour, then I went and captured it, along with two other Pokemon leading three groups that collaborated to cause trouble. Houndour, Misdreavus, and Sneasel. Then I captured the Murkrow that I found was helping them with its flock. Do you like dark type and ghost type Pokemon?" Brett looks hopeful.

"I get along with any Pokemon." A flash of red light, and Houndour appears. I look at it. It looks at me. It leaps at me, tackling me. Fifteen minutes later, Sneasel, Houndour, Murkrow, and Misdreavus have decided to travel with me. I like these dark types. They are tenacious, powerful, and always spoiling for a fight. I leave Cerulean, and Brett says he'll probably see me in Vermillion. I decide to take the long path. I should catch a Diglett to add to the Onix, Geodude, and Zubat I caught in Mount Moon. That should round out my collection of Pokemon who like caves. After over two months, I arrive in Vermillion, having run into a mass of Tentacool, a Diglett horde, and a massive swarm of Doduo, Magnemite, and Voltorb. I may have captured the strongest of each swarm, but that does not make up for it. And when I am in sight of Vermillion, a army of Farfetch'd attacks. And Exeggcute. Don't even mention the flood of Ekans, Grimer, and Koffing. Then the Poliwag. The only good thing about that is that I now have a lot of new Pokemon. So many that Professor Oak had a miniature transporter sent to me. I can select the Pokemon I want, and it will be automatically recalled and sent to me. Oh, and I got a Weepinbell and Gloom out of it. Pikachu insists on fighting Lt. Surge. I head to the Gym.

"A baby challenger. Fine. One on one. Raichu, I choose you!"

"Pikachu, let's go!" I call. Pikachu leaps from the place on my shoulder it took. "Thunderbolt!"

"Raichu, Thunder!" Raichu overwhelms Pikachu, and Pikachu is blasted into me. I immediately head to the Pokemon Center. An hour later, Nurse Joy comes in when I am speaking with Brock and Misty about where to find a Thunder Stone. She has a Thunder Stone with her. I ask Pikachu, who decides to evolve. But first, Pikachu insists on learning four attacks. Surf, Iron Tail, Volt Tackle, and Thunder Punch. I decide to also teach Pikachu the other elemental punches. Fire Punch, Ice Punch, Poison Jab, and Shadow Punch. Pikachu learns fast, and in only a week is ready to evolve. I give Pikachu the stone, and he glows as he grows into a Raichu. But Pikachu learned two other attacks. Earthquake was somehow learned, and so was Frenzy Plant. This leads me to believe Pikachu's father was a Torterra. The mother was almost definitely the daughter of a Hitmonchan and a Pikachu. I head to the Gym. Brock and Misty are there.

"Lt. Surge, I challenge you again!" I call.

"Fine. Raichu, crush him."

"Raichu, come on!" I call. Raichu comes forward. Surge smiles.

"At last, a fight."

"Raichu, Frenzy Plant." I say. Surge gapes. Then vines engulf Raichu, pinning it in place. My Raichu rests for a moment. "Now, Earthquake." The ground rumbles and splits all over. For a hundred feet around, fissures appear. Surge's Raichu cries in pain. Then it faints.

"Kid, your Raichu could take on a ground type and win. You are no baby. Here is the badge." I go through my usual victory celebration. Then I continue my travels. When I get out of Vermillion, I see Brett.

"Ash Ketchum, I challenge you to a Pokemon battle. My Meganium, Jumpluff, Bellossom, Victreebel, Gyrados, and Ampharos versus your..." He trails off and I continue.

"Pidgeotto, Fearow, Rhyhorn, Magmar, Dugtrio, and Houndour." I say. Dugtrio evolved when it was teaching Raichu Earthquake. Houndour is about to evolve. Brock agrees to referee, and we prepare to fight.

**_Like this chapter? Please send in any OCs. I may modify personality and Pokemon if I have not seen them in your excellent stories, so please send in any extra data on personality, Pokemon, or where in your stories I may find these OCs. Thanks. Please read and review._**


	3. Chapter 3

_**Fight to the end**_

_**A Pokemon fanfic**_

_**Ash POV**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon**_

_**Chapter 3**_

"Pidgeotto versus Meganium." Brock says. Brett sends out Meganium, and Pidgeotto flies forth from its Poke Ball.

"Vine Whip!"

"Quick Wing!" A combo of Quick Attack and Wing Attack. It hits hard and Meganium flies back. Then the Vine Whip hits and its Pidgeotto's turn to fly.

"Aerial Ace!" I call, and this attack hits hard, right in a very vulnerable point for Brett's male Meganium. It whimpers. Then it faints. Myself, Brett, and Brock all wince at where Meganium was hit.

"Pidgeotto versus Jumpluff. Begin!" Jumpluff comes out and instantly uses Solar Beam.

"While it charges, use Aerial Drill." A spinning Aerial Ace, backed up by a Drill Peck. That is going to hurt. It strikes Jumpluff, who absorbs the impact and uses it to float up, then it unleashes Solarbeam into Pidgeotto's back. Pidgeotto cries in pain, then hits Jumpluff with Wing Attack, again and again. Jumpluff just can't get another Solar Beam charged. It tries to get off a Leech Seed, a Giga Drain, a Magical Leaf. It fails every time. Eventually, it faints.

"Pidgeotto versus Bellossom! Begin!" Bellossom uses Poison Powder immediately. Pidgeotto dodges and uses another Aerial Drill. This hits and capitalizes on Bellossom's weakness to flying attacks big time. Then Pidgeotto uses Wing Attack. This hits and takes it down. Brett is aggravated.

"Go, Victreebel!"

"Victreebel versus Pidgeotto! Begin!"

"Acid!" A stream of Acid comes forth, along with a Vine Whip which holds Pidgeotto in place. My flying type cries out. Then it glows. In a moment, I have a Pidgeot. Pidgeot dives down, using Aerial Drill. Victreebel somehow charges a Solar Beam. They hit at the same moment and both faint. Then Brett sends out his Gyrados. It turns into a battle changer, taking out my Fearow, Rhyhorn, Magmar, and finally Dugtrio. Dugtrio takes Gyrados down as well, however.

"Ampharos versus Houndour. Begin!" Brock calls the battle one last time. Both Brett and myself send our Pokemon forth.

"Thunder!"

"Crunch!"

"Now, use Thunder Punch!"

"Flamethrower!"

"Brick Break!"

"Dodge and use Beat Up!" Brett and I fight furiously for almost fifteen minutes, until both our Pokemon are exhausted. Ampharos just can't move much, and Houndour is barely getting a decent flame out. Then Houndour glows, Brett swears, and Misty gasps. Brett knows it is all over. He can't deal with a newly evolved Pokemon. Houndour becomes Houndoom. My new Houndoom looks at me. "Fire Blast!" I call. Ampharos is engulfed in flame. It faints, out of power and will to battle.

"Ampharos is unable to battle! Houndoom is the winner! This battle goes to Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town!" Brock calls. Brett comes over.

"You did well. You have obviously raised your Pokemon very well. I want you to take this Dragon Scale I found a while ago, catch a Horsea or Seadra, and evolve it into Kingdra. You'll have a great dragon type that way, to add to the Dragonite you will someday have." I nod and take the scale, then switch Rhyhorn for my new Seadra, which evolved along the way here. My Growlithe was evolved as well, using a Fire Stone I found on the way. All told, I had four Pokemon evolve on the way to Vermillion City. Arcanine, Seadra, Magneton, and Charizard. Charizard evolved to fight a wild Aerodactyl, which had taken an egg from some archeological site. We found its lair and fought it, my Aerodactyl and Charizard versus that Aerodactyl. But Charizard was Charmander before the battle. He evolved fast to battle Aerodactyl. I retrieved the egg, which hatched into a Togepi that now sticks around with me, only accepts food from me, and could become very powerful. During the trip through Mount Moon, my new Jigglypuff, Nidorino, Clefairy, and Nidorina ran off, and I followed, only to find them as Wigglytuff, Clefable, Nidoking, and Nidoqueen. Four powerful new Pokemon. So all told, I have had fifteen Pokemon evolve so far to their highest state. And then my Dratini evolved recently, there is of course my Gloom, my Weepinbell, my Ivysaur and Wartortle, my Machoke, my Kadabra, my Haunter, my Graveler, and my Seadra, which will soon be a Kingdra. I say goodbye to Brett, and head on, Brock and Misty following. I am unlucky, and capture only a Mankey along the way to Celadon, but it soon evolves into Primeape. When I arrive in Celadon after a month's travel, I immediately head to the Pokemon Center.

"Excuse me, Nurse Joy, but can you help me out?"

"Yes, I'll gladly take care of your Pokemon." Nurse Joy responds.

"I need to evolve my Machoke, Kadabra, Haunter, Graveler, and Seadra. I have the necessary item to evolve Seadra. And I don't trust that another trainer won't just leave with my evolved Pokemon."

"Of course I'll help you evolve your Pokemon. Half an hour later, my newly evolved Kingdra, Machamp, Golem, Gengar, and Alakazam are ready for battle. I thank Nurse Joy, and head for the Gym. I get Pidgeot, Fearow, Magmar, Arcanine, Dewgong, and Grimer ready. They will be my team of six, out of the ten I can carry. Gyrados, Magmar, Pidgeot, Fearow, Arcanine, Dewgong, Grimer, Raichu, Gengar, and Rhyhorn. Those ten are the ones I currently carry, though I will likely switch Gengar for Scyther and Raichu for Houndoom soon. Though Gengar might be a good choice for Saffron City and its Gym. When I enter the Celadon Gym, there are a whole bunch of girls with Gloom and Weepinbell, as well as other grass types. I recognize Jumpluff and Meganium. I also recognize Bellossom and all of the Bulbasaur evolutions.

"Why are you here?" One of them asks.

"I've come for a Gym battle." I respond.

"Oh no, Gym battles aren't important enough to let you pass. I'm Erika, the leader, and I refuse your challenge. Ivysaur, escort him out, please." Her Ivysaur moves forward. I reach for one of the Poke Balls at my belt.

"Magmar, I choose you." I say calmly and quietly. Magmar appears. "Flamethrower." Ivysaur is bathed in flame, and it falls to its knees under the massively powerful fire attack.

"Ivysaur, Razor Leaf." Erika says. The leaves fly, and just burn up when they touch Magmar. Erika is shocked.

"Get in there, using Inferno Blast, then uses Fire Punch." I order. Magmar rushes forward, launching a massive Fire Blast, fueled by a Flamethrower behind it, adding to its flame. The blast grows, until it is a white hot star, invisible except for heat waves which form a star around it. Ivysaur falls completely, unable to even stay on its knees, then it is hit by a Fire Punch just as hot as the Inferno Blast. It roars in pain and faints. Then Erika sends out Vileplume. But the Inferno Blast is still going, and Vileplume appears right in it. It cries in pain, then a Fire Punch hits it as well, and that is all she wrote for Vileplume. Erika sends out her last Pokemon, a Venusaur. It roars. "Sunny day, then another Inferno Blast." Magmar obeys, but Venusaur uses Solarbeam. The attack is powerful enough to take Magmar down. I send out Arcanine, who uses another Inferno Blast. That takes Venusaur down.

"You win. Now please leave."

"The badge first." I say.

"I'm only giving you the badge if you join us in this aromatherapy session." Erika says. I glare at her, switch some Pokemon around, send out my Ivysaur, Weepinbell, and Gloom, and sit down among a horde of girls. This will be very unpleasant. I am required to stay for weeks on end, though Brock envies me, until I am six whole months into my journey. Then I get to leave. I move fast, taking only two weeks to get to Saffron. Or at least I would have if there wasn't a small complication on the way. After a week on the road, I am out in the open, then a shadow passes over me. I look up and claws sink into me, and I am dragged away by Zapdos. Oh, great. Brock and Misty see me and immediately start running after me. Zapdos takes me to its lair in the old Power Plant. Whenever I try to leave, it stops me, but I manage to catch a Cubone that wandered around here. After almost three weeks, with just a day before seven months into my journey, I find and fight Zapdos. My new Cubone, the only Pokemon I have with me, against Zapdos, the bird of lightning. Cubone redirects all of its electric attacks, and when it tries Drill Peck, Cubone brings it to ground and uses Earthquake. Zapdos goes down. Its wings are broken, three ribs are smashed, and there are other wounds. It knows it will die soon. It gazes at me. It is too proud to ask for help, but just a hint of its pain shows. I sigh, then put it into a Heal Ball. I make sure it won't be transferred, and it should slowly heal with the Heal Ball. It won't die. I plan to release it as soon as it is well. I head out, then see a lot of police. My mother is there. A Nurse Joy is there as well. My mom rushes to me.

"Ash! You're okay! Did Zapdos hurt you? How did you get away?" She asks.

"I fought Zapdos." I head to Nurse Joy. "Nurse Joy, I captured Zapdos. It is badly hurt. Please help it." I say, and when she nods I send Zapdos out. She immediately gets to work, and a couple days later Zapdos is good as new. It sees the way I treated my Pokemon, and treated it when it had hurt me, kidnapped me, and kept me from leaving. It refuses to be released. I caught Zapdos permanently. It flies me to Saffron. When we arrive, Brock and Misty are just outside the Pokemon Center. Everyone is shocked when a lightning storm rumbles in and Zapdos comes forth, with me riding it. When we reach the ground, I recall Zapdos. Brock and Misty rush over, as does someone who looks like a clone of me.

"Hello." The clone says. "I'm Ritchie. You're Ash, right?" I nod. "I met your friends after you disappeared. And I recently found out every Pokemon you captured that is native to this region, I captured as well. I have a Cubone with me right now. I'm guessing you have a Cubone?" I nod.

"Used my Cubone to defeat Zapdos. You can't match that, right?" Richie nods and swears at this bad luck.

"Pikapi!" A Pikachu calls. Richie picks it up.

"Hello, Sparky." He says. My Raichu comes out. Then I feel another psychic presence. I have kept it masked for years, but it slipped in my time with Zapdos. I am a psychic. I can move things with my mind, read minds, etc. I think I know who this psychic is. Sabrina, leader of Saffron Gym. I head towards the Gym. When I arrive, my team is consisting of Zapdos, Rhyhorn, Houndoom, Gengar, Gyrados, Cubone, Misdreavus, Sneasel, Murkrow, Primeape, Tentacruel, and Dragonair. I can carry twelve Pokemon now that I have captured Zapdos. No more for a long time. I head into the Gym. Brock and Richie tentatively follow. When I get in, opening the locked doors by mentally unlocking them, Richie looks shocked. Then he continues following. Brett is in there. He is battling Sabrina, and losing miserably. He has no dark types, and Sabrina reads his mind, knowing what he will do before he does. I can't block this unless I temporarily take over Brett's mind. I won't do that. Then Sabrina accidentally broadcasts her intention to turn Brett into a doll if he loses, and I immediately exercise my psychic powers. Brett jerks, then fights.

_"Get out of my mind, Sabrina!" _He screams mentally. A wave of anger hits me. Sabrina is shocked. I can vaguely see what Brett sees. My eyes glow with my own gold psychic light, while Sabrina's glow blue.

_"It is Ash. I am psychic. I can block Sabrina's mind reading. Unless you want to be a doll, let me have control." _Brett is shocked. Then he accepts it, and surrenders control over body and mind. I take over and help his Espeon work. A psychic Pokemon and a psychic, we work perfectly together. Soon Sabrina's Mr. Mime goes down. Then her Kadabra follows. Sabrina is shocked.

"How could I lose? My mind reading suddenly failed." I release Brett as Sabrina tosses him the badge. Brett speaks to me.

"Thanks for using your psychic abilities to take over my mind, Ash. She couldn't read my mind, and you knew how to use Espeon." Espeon looks at him. It pleads as it looks at him. He points at me, then takes Espeon's Poke Ball and tosses it my way. "Ash, I'm no good with dark, ghost, or psychic types. They are held back when it comes to me. I want you to take Espeon, my only one of those three types. Take care of it. Bring it to its full potential. I have to do some soul searching back home. This is goodbye for a while. But maybe I'll train grass and electric types, as I'm best with them. Gyrados is a rare exception." I nod, and take Espeon's Poke Ball. Espeon cries joyfully and comes over to me.

"Sabrina, I challenge you to a psychic gym battle." I say. She nods, and we prepare to unleash the powers of mind that move mountains and master the will of millions.

_**I hope you liked the chapter. Please send in OCs, I'm open to constructive criticism, and I need a Beta. Please read and review.**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Fight to the end**_

_**A Pokemon fanfic**_

_**Ash POV**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon**_

_**Chapter 4  
**_

"This is a one on one battle. Your Pokemon versus mine." Sabrina says. I nod. "Kadabra, deal with him."

"Sneasel, I choose you!" Sneasel appears in a flash of red light, and Kadabra follows.

"Psychic, Kadabra." Sneasel glows, then the glow fades.

"Ice Slash." I command. My mind is grappling with Sabrina's as each of us try to figure out what the opponent will do next. All objects are bolted down, so we can't throw them at each other. Sneasel moves quickly, a blackish-white claw glowing. Night Slash and Ice Punch combined. It hits, but Kadabra uses Fire Punch at point blank range. We have both switched to silent commands. Sneasel uses Shadow Ball, then follows up with Dark Storm, a combination of Blizzard, Thunder, and Dark Pulse. Then a Shadow Shard follows. Shadow Ball and Ice Shard. This is sent back, and Sneasel is hit. But it takes the hit, and finishes the opponent with Payback. Kadabra faints. I finally break into Sabrina's mind as Kadabra gives in, and unlock the emotions she locked away. I start to recall Sneasel. Then Kadabra gets up and hits Sneasel with a Fire Punch, straight to the back. Bones break. I recall Sneasel and leave the gym at a run, hoping to be lucky enough for Sneasel to not have a broken spine. My luck is bad. Sneasel's spine is broken. Unless he evolves into Weavile, and soon, he'll never walk again. A Nurse Joy has the necessary item. But it can't be sent here. The transportation system between the Pokemon Centers is down, and won't be back up until it is too late. I start preparing for a journey. I know even my fastest flier has bad odds, and I can't hold my breath long enough for Gyrados to get me there, but I am going to try. Then a trainer with six Weavile alongside him comes in.

"I heard there is a Sneasel is considerable distress here. I have the necessary item for evolution. I have but one small price." He says.

"I have the money. I'll pay." I respond.

"Not money. What I want is a battle. Your Weavile once it evolves, against mine. Deal?"

"Deal. How about my dark types against yours. I can bring Houndoom, Weavile, and a Honchkrow if you have a Dusk Stone, versus three of your Weavile. Any stakes?"

"I win, you train all the dark types I have right now except for my Weavile. That means a Sableye, Poochyena, Seedot, Carvanha, Cacnea, Corphish, Skorupi, and Stunky. Unfortunately, I cannot get a Larvitar, Pupitar, or Tyrannitar. You have to train them to full evolution and return them. You win, all of them are yours. Plus a Drifloon, Nincada, Shuppet, Snorunt, and Rotom. All ghost types, eventually. We have a deal?" He asks. I nod. He goes to where Sneasel is. I wait, and a few minutes later, a Weavile comes out alongside him and comes over to me. We head out, right after my Murkrow evolves. He sends out his first Weavile. Mine leaps forward. "Audible commands, not silent." He says. I nod.

"Dark Storm!" A blizzard of snow and black energy erupts forth from between Weavile's claws. Thunder booms and lightning crackles within the massive tornado-like storm, which spreads and covers the entire area, leaving me and my opponent without sight. His Weavile cries out in pain. "Finish with Ice Slash."

"Surf!" My opponent calls.

"Break it. Thunder Punch, Then Ice Slash. For safety, finish with Shadow Shard." A blur of motion, a few shadows, then the storm clears. His Weavile is on the ground, but mine took plenty of damage and is panting. "Weavile, come back. You are in no state that is fit for battle. Houndoom, go!" Houndoom leaps forth.

"Weavile, take them down!"

"Fire Blast!"

"Night Slash!"

"Shadow Claw!"

"Ice Punch!"

"Shadow Flame!" The combination of Shadow Ball and Flamethrower erupts forth.

"Dodge, and bring on Ice Fang!"

"Fire Fang!"

"Glacier Crush!" My opponent smiles. "A ice type form of Double Edge." He explains.

"Flare Blitz!"

"Double Hit!"

"Close Combat!" It took a while to teach Houndoom this, but it works. Both Pokemon are in a bad way, but Weavile topples over, fainting. Houndoom follows in seconds.

"Weavile!"

"Honchkrow!"

"Finish this!" We call in unison. Both leap or fly forward, and square off. Whoever wins this wins. My Weavile is in no state to battle.

"Sky Attack!"

"Ice Punch!"

"Dodge with Aerial Ace!"

"Ice Fang!"

"Fly high, then use Drill Slash!" Honchkrow's Night Slash and Drill Peck combined may help, but this Pokemon has a very good type advantage.

"Wait and use Blizzard!"

"Blast through it by adding Wing Strike!" I command. "A flying type form of Double Edge." Honchkrow blasts through, but takes heavy damage. Drill Slash connects, as does a last second Ice Punch. Both Pokemon stagger. Whoever faints first is the question. Both can't put in another strike. After what seems like an eternity, Weavile falls to its knees, and collapses, down for the count. Honchkrow follows immediately.

"You win, kid. Very good. The Pokemon are inside. Just tell Nurse Joy you won. Thanks for the great fight."

"Agreed. And I thank you for saving my Sneasel by evolving it into Weavile."

"No problem." With that, the stranger walks away. I go and retrieve my new Pokemon. Then I leave. I know I probably won't see the trainer again. With that thought in my head I begin the journey to my next gym battle. When I arrive in Fuchsia City, I immediately go to the gym. Koga is there. I challenge him.

"Fine. I accept your challenge. Three on three. No substitutions of pokemon," is Koga's response, then battle begins.

"Muk, go!" He says.

"Arcanine, I choose you!" Arcanine leaps forth.

"Sludge Bomb!" Muk fires the attack. Arcanine tries to dodge, but it hits. "Finish the Arcanine! Magnitude, Muk!" The ground shakes. This magnitude is strong. Arcanine tries to stand up, then collapses. I recall Arcanine.

"Zapdos, take flight!" The legendary bird of thunder appears in with a flash of lightning and thunder. "Thunder, now!"

"Protect!"

"Shadow Ball!"

"Hyper Beam!" The golden beam breaks apart the Shadow Ball and hits Zapdos. It gives a cry. I make a last ditch effort before it faints.

"Now, use Giga Impact!" The attack comes. Right when it is a foot away from Muk, Koga shouts.

"Again, HYPER BEAM!" The strike hits and Zapdos never has a chance. It faints.

"Very well. Time to end this. I was hoping I wouldn't need this pokemon, but it seems I must. Go, Gyrados!" I roar. Gyrados appears with a roar of rage.

"Hyper Beam!" Koga shouts.

"Hyper Beam!" I match his attack. Mine breaks through, but Koga cries out.

"Protect!" The blow hits the green dome and fades away. "Muk, Thunder!"

How did he teach a Muk Thunder? It hits. Gyarados is down with only one blow. I recall it and walk away, shocked at this loss. I reconsider which pokemon might have a chance against these damned poison types. I also consider my strategies before this. I taught my Pokemon a lot of attacks and got them to a high enough level of power that they could simply crush any opposition in any gym before this. They didn't get any stronger, though. I also haven't trained for a week. This is going to be a long and painful time correcting my ways. I need to train, catch very few new Pokemon, and focus on the Pokemon I already have.

**_Ash isn't supremely powerful. He got overconfident and lost, and now he has to correct himself. I do not plan to make him unbeatable, and will try to make things more realistic in terms of power so I don't have to rewrite this story like I will have to rewrite other stories. I will include as many OCs as I can, though they may come in later in the story. Please read and review. Thanks._**


	5. Chapter 5

_**Fight to the end**_

_**A Pokemon fanfic**_

_**Ash POV**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon**_

_**Chapter 5  
**_

"Dugtrio, Earthquake, and Kangaskhan, use Protect, then strike back with Ice Punch! Electabuzz, Brick Break on Kangaskhan, and Raichu, use Feint!" All three Pokemon attack, and Brick Break and Feint connect with the shield, only to run into the attack I command as soon as the shield breaks. "Kangaskhan, Fire Punch!" The attackers stumble back, burned. Electabuzz begins a Meditate, while Raichu charges up a Hyper Beam. It has gotten to the point where it doesn't need to rest between Hyper Beams, though some power is sacrificed for that. I order the next attacks. "Raichu, Electabuzz, Thunder Punch, Dugtrio, Magnitude, and Kangaskhan, use Iron Tail, then strike back with Blizzard!"

"Raichu!" Raichu calls as it looses the Hyper Beam, then joins Electabuzz in a Thunder Punch. Kangaskhan uses Iron Tail to jump into the air to dodge Magnitude, then uses Metal Claw to intercept the Thunder Punches. Then Kangaskhan surprises me. It uses Sheer Cold. Raichu faints, quickly followed by Electabuzz. Dugtrio then is the unlucky recipient of a Blizzard from Kangaskhan, who follows it up with Sunny Day and then Solarbeam. Dugtrio is out of the fight instantly. It did well enough, though. I return all but Raichu, and then head towards the area where I left Zapdos, Arcanine, Gyarados, Golem, Machamp, Gengar, Alakazam, and Pidgeot as they trained. When I arrive, I find Arcanine defeated, Gyarados holding its own against Machamp, Gengar, and Alakazam, Zapdos fighting Pidgeot, and Golem using Rock Climb, though I cannot guess why. Then all becomes clear.

"GOLEM!" With a cry of its name, Golem begins a Rollout that heads up the rock created by its last move, and brings Pidgeot and Zapdos to the ground, with compliments of a Rollout and Seismic Toss combo. They then become unfortunate victims of Earthquake. Pidgeot falls, but Zapdos is a legendary, and does not give up so easily. It takes flight once more, battered and worn out, then uses two moves I didn't expect. Roost is its next attack, and then a Hydro Pump strikes, right after a Rain Dance powers up the water type move. Gyarados uses Hydro Cannon to finish off Alakazam and Machamp, but the move is dodged by Gengar, who melts into the ground. Then a Thunder hits Gyarados, who has had enough and faints. Gengar doesn't get out of the ground fast enough and becomes a victim of Golem's last attack, a powerful Magnitude. Hydro Pump finishes Golem off, and Zapdos screeches in triumph as it comes back to the ground, weary and sore after its mighty battles. I release Kangaskhan again and the two victors who had been training for the last three hours straight, as I switched pokemon out with those at Professor Oak's lab for Kangaskhan, and simply allowed the powerful pokemon against Zapdos to fight as they would, except for a substitution of Weavile, which I switched for Arcanine after Weavile was thrown almost two hundred yards by a extremely powerful Hyper Beam and Fire Blast combo from Gyarados. I check the battle recorder I had set up and find Arcanine went down after a massively powerful Magnitude from Golem. We are ready to challenge Koga's gym once more. I head towards the Pokemon Center and activate a videophone.

"Professor Oak?" I ask. He suddenly appears within reach of his own videophone and answers.

"Ah, Ash. Challenging Koga again, are you? I heard about your defeat. I also have a warning to pass on. Your mother, as is her right under law until you turn thirteen, has almost finished proceedings to remove me as your supervising professor. In other words, I will no longer be able to store your pokemon, and any pokemon you have with me three hours from now, at noon today, seven months into your journey, will be taken and released back into the wild. But you are allowed to retrieve all your pokemon and go it alone, without a supervising professor to store your pokemon. You will have to feed them all, train them all, and see to their injuries. You see, without a supervising professor, you lose access to the pokemon centers unless in a emergency. So any training accidents that end in serious injury, you can go to the pokemon center for. You cannot go for the normal run of injury from a battle or training. I recommend this course to you, otherwise you run the risk of losing your trainer's license and being forced to return home. But there is one more problem. You would have to renounce your hometown and your guardian, in other words your mother, if this is to be allowed. You have until you are thirteen to find a new family. You may change your first name if you wish." I consider this all carefully. Then I take my heart, shred it to pieces, and incinerate the remains. My mother is all the family I have left.

"Send me my pokemon. I have a journey to complete." With that, I begin receiving pokemon through my personal transporter and the videophone transporter. I attach each poke ball to my belt as it appears. I release the largest and strongest pokemon and inform them of the situation and that they will probably have to assist in carrying the supplies for the pokemon. They roar in agreement. I retrieve Weavile from Nurse Joy, ignoring her protests that Weavile was not fully healed and in no condition to battle again. I return Weavile and explain matters to it in mind to mind conversation, using my psychic abilities. It is hard to reach the mind of a dark type, but not impossible for a powerful enough psychic. It is annoyed with my mother immensely, but I manage to calm it down and give it a different outlook on this matter. Now it doesn't ever have to be away from me or any of the other pokemon. Nurse Joy, Koga, and a few other people enter the building. Gary is there as well.

"We'll be taking your pokemon for examination, sir," one of them says. I recognize all of the Elite Four among the group, currently speaking with Koga.

"No. I must leave immediately," I respond.

"We will be checking for the almost certain abuse of your pokemon," the other person, who I now recognize as a league official, responds to that comment.

"I have just lost my supervising professor due to my mother's work, or perhaps I should call her my former mother. I cannot use the pokemon centers," I say. Lance groans, both league officials look sympathetic to this problem, and Gary is just confused. Koga explains it to him, and now he just looks angry.

"My apologies for this unfortunate occurence," Lance says. "I created the rule that allows this. But Weavile is in horrible condition, from what I heard?" The end is questioning. I release Weavile, who is still strong and ready for a fight, though a bit battered. One claw glows white, the other black. Slash and Night Slash being prepared. A Hyper Beam starts charging. "I forgot that dark types are always ready for a fight and heal insanely fast."

"Oh, Weavile is in no condition for any serious battle after an hour of free for all battle and a two hundred yard flight courtesy of a Hyper Beam and Fire Blast combination attack." Bruno looks shocked that Weavile is standing at the moment, let alone ready for any kind of battle. He sends out his Hitmonlee. A Blaze Kick is abruptly flying at Weavile, who spins out of the way and puts Hitmonlee down with a Aerial Ace and then a point blank Hyper Beam. "I stand corrected. Weavile is ready for combat. Hitmonlee wasn't prepared for that, but Weavile still managed to take it down. Excellent job, Weavile. Return and enjoy your rest." A bluish silver beam lances out from the poke ball, and turns Weavile into a reddish gold energy, which disappears. I am curious about the different light colors. Agatha explains.

"The color is different to identify independent trainers. Some prefer to go without a supervising professor. Some are subject to this rule. So, there are plenty like you. Three others in this city alone. If I remember correctly, their names are Connor Blackstorm, Jack Viridian, and Michael the Wanderer, as he prefers to be called. There are two female independent trainers within a few miles and heading towards the city. Lavender Valkyria and Skadi the Frozen, as she is known," Agatha remarks with some amusement at the names. I thank her and head out to find those who I now share fellowship with. I find Skadi and Michael locked in battle, Skadi's Dewgong versus Michael's Golbat. Both are strong and well trained. I see three other trainers looking on, a female and two males.

"What are you doing here?" One asks harshly. Lavender, if I guess correctly. She has a cold expression on her face. "This place is for outcasts. The independent trainers, in other words," she says bitterly. She obviously shares my situation of losing my supervising professor.

"I'm an outcast too. Just lost my professor," I say. She instantly warms up.

"Come and sit with us, then. I'm Lavender Valkyria, the person on my right is Connor Blackstorm, and the person on my left is Jack Viridian. The two battlers are Michael the Wanderer and Skadi the Frozen," she says cheerfully. Connor has long black hair with shards from Dusk Stones and Dawn Stones braided into it. He is tall, looks like a body builder, and has well tanned skin. Jack is pale, has deep forest green hair with leaf stone shards in it, and is carrying several poke balls evidently on his belt. Skadi is also pale skinned, with pale blue eyes and hair, and strongly built, carrying a couple dozen poke balls in a black satchel. Lavender and Michael are obviously brother and sister, as they look almost exactly alike in their hair color of red, both have golden eyes, and are built like athletes, dressed in simple clothing of a T-shirt and sweatpants, which are black like the rest of the clothing around here. Not much color variation except in eyes or hair. I will be switching my clothes soon enough. Black is a good color for such people as us. The outcasts of the trainer world, never seen in pokemon centers or in the labs of a professor. I accept the invitation and sit by Lavender, Connor at my right, with Lavender at my left. I send out a few of my own pokemon for them to look at, including Weavile and Honchkrow. When he sees them, Connor nods approvingly, admiring my dark types. He then sends out a few of his pokemon, which include Houndoom, Sneasel, and a Murkrow. The lesser versions of my own powerful dark types nod respectfully to their evolved forms. The other pokemon I sent out are Charizard, Kangaskhan, Electabuzz, Nidoking, Pidgeot, Fearow, and Golem. Then I decide to shock them. I speak out in a commanding tone.

"Storms rumble in the sky, ever thundering from on high, bring forth now your fury and might, descend to me, within human sight." Is the chant, which is finished with. "COME FORTH, O MIGHTY LORD OF THUNDER!" The poke ball flies high into the sky, then in a flash of lightning and with a mighty thunder booming around it, Zapdos descends from the sky. My poke ball returns to my outstretched hand.

"You have a Zapdos?" Jack asks enviously. Michael is staring, not even bothering to conceal how jealous he is that I caught Zapdos. Skadi looks over at me, appraises me, then smiles. Lavender glares at her. Connor speaks up.

"Very nice pokemon. I think you will fit right in with this group. You will be joining this band of travelers, correct?" He asks curiously. I consider, then respond.

"Of course. Outcasts have to stick together, don't they?" That wins me approval. Everyone smiles, and they begin talking amongst themselves again, this time including me in the conversation. The battle resumes, and it is fierce and hard fought, with Dewgong eventually being defeated by Golbat's constant Air Cutters, which hit with almost unerring accuracy. It turns out all of us wish to defeat Koga. They hope to wear his pokemon down, so another might defeat him. They had decided on Michael before, but with the sight of Zapdos, they changed their minds. They decided to change to me instead, since Zapdos is a legend, and only bad strategy defeated me before while using Zapdos. I am confident that the legend of thunder will eliminate Muk at the very least, and that is apparently the biggest problem with Koga. But he will take multiple challenges at a time, which allows the weakening of his pokemon. That will give me a chance to defeat him, if Zapdos manages to hold out for at least two pokemon. Then Dugtrio or Golem can finish off the last strategy should work. A few days later, we head as a group to the gym. Jack challenges first, and his Onix and Marowak do some damage to Muk, and his Scyther eliminates a Venomoth. Unfortunately, Koga has at least three Venomoth.

"Looks like I lost, then. Avenge my defeat." Jack says as Michael strides onto the field. His Golbat, Electabuzz, and Rhyhorn all hold out for a long time, doing plenty of damage, though Muk survives and defeats each of them in turn. Then it is my turn. Koga leaves Muk on the field. I concentrate, then chant.

"Storms rumble in the sky, ever thundering from on high, bring forth now your fury and might, descend to me, within human sight. COME FORTH, O MIGHTY LORD OF THUNDER!" With bolts of lightning and booms of thunder, a Zapdos which now glows gold in the areas of its body that were once yellow, and radiates a black that is the complete absence of light over the rest of its body. Power agrees with it, and it has become massively powerful."The first move is yours, Koga. Use it well, because if I and Zapdos have our way, it will be the last you get."

"Very well,"is Koga's response. Muk trembles as Zapdos screeches in fury. It is angry, angry, angry over its last defeat by this Muk. It is time for revenge. "Muk, Hyper Beam!" Is the call that Koga makes.

"Zapdos, dodge," I calmly say. Zapdos evades with almost arrogant ease, and then responds instantly to my next command. "Rain Dance, then use Hydro Pump!" The two moves strike almost in unison, and Muk is eliminated. Sure, it had been weakened, but it is still an excellent victory.

"Your Zapdos is strong. Go, Weezing," Koga commands. He keeps a calm exterior, but I can feel his rage within. He wants revenge.

"Zapdos, use Thunder!" I roar. The Thunder strikes, and amplified by the Rain Dance and made perfectly accurate by the same move, it takes Weezing down instantly.

"Time to end this. Muk is not my strongest. I have not used my strongest pokemon for many years. Crobat, end this once and for all!" He calls. He hopes for victory. "Aerial Ace!"

"Stop it. Use Lock On, then hit it with Volt Impact," I say in a even tone. If this strike doesn't end it, then Crobat will be in close, and the Toxic attack that it almost surely knows will be my downfall, as long as it knows some healing move to deal with Thunder. I see questioning looks. "A combination of Volt Tackle and Giga Impact," I say in answer. Koga looks alarmed. The others look shocked. With Crobat and Zapdos being effective conductors thanks to Rain Dance, and Volt Tackle being powered up by Zapdos being an electric type, and the fact that Crobat is weak to electric attacks, this will almost surely be an ending strike. It has to be.

"Crobat, get out of there!" Koga commands, letting his emotions show for the first time. Too late. The Aerial Ace hits, and then Crobat is struck by Volt Impact. This attack has to end this, or I will probably lose. Crobat hangs in the air a moment and Koga opens his mouth to give another command, then it spirals down to the earth, defeated. I have won. I stand stunned for a moment, then cheer. Victory is mine. I broke Koga's winning streak at last. Michael appears to be having a seizure. I raise an eyebrow when I see nobody is helping him. Skadi looks at him, and groans.

"His victory dance. I cannot believe I am traveling with him. At least you are now around to help deal with the stress," Skadi says. We have both had a few headaches from Michael a day. He is an excellent trainer, as well as being funny. But still, he is a pain. Lavender sees Michael dancing, swears, and grabs him by the ear to steady him, then kicks him in the groin. I wince sympathetically as Michael falls to the ground, clutching at himself and groaning in pain.

"That was to stop that abomination," Lavender explains. Myself, Jack, and Connor back away nervously from her. We are worried that something we do will be an abomination next. Then we shall have to run for our lives. We look at each other and nod. My Zapdos, Connor's Pidgeot, and Connor's Fearow appear in three flashes of bluish silver light. I regret returning Zapdos. Then we are on our pokemon and rising into the sky, away from Lavender. Michael jumps up and starts waving his arms.

"HELP! Don't leave me here!" He calls. I consider, then Fearow swoops down and retrieves him, grabbing his arms with its talons. We are then flying for our lives. We plan not to stop until we arrive at Cinnabar. Once we reach the island of fire, we will be safe. Lavender has no water type, and won't take any ferry. Skadi has water types, but she won't betray us. I rise higher in the sky, as Zapdos moves up and back. I plan to start a storm to cover our escape. With a roar of fury, lightning splits the skies and rain pours down. I plan to call the mother of all storms and keep it going for several days. Lightning bolts the size of Snorlax blaze in the sky and break apart the ground with their might. Each bolt is mighty, fire and destruction from the skies. Now that the storm is going, I see other Zapdos circling. They will continue the storm, now that it has been started. Zapdos provided the power over storms, while I brought in the psychic force to drive it to such fury. Wild Zapdos start small storms, but love massive storms. They just never bother to start large storms themselves. If someone else starts it, though, they are more than happy to continue it. As for the reason we are fleeing is because independent trainers depend on each other for survival, and with one having a temper that needs to cool down, we should stay away for a while while she calms. Once it is safer and we can be more sure that she won't turn nasty, we'll return. But we don't want to trust our lives to someone who might be angry at us. I catch up with Michael and Connor, and Connor calls over to me.

"Did you start the storm?" He asks.

"Yes! I didn't want pursuit from Lavender!" I yell. Michael laughs.

"Good idea!" He calls over to me. We agree on this matter. We spend the rest of the flight talking about how to best combat Blaine, and whether water types are superior to ground types for that purpose.

_**I thank you all for reading. Some concerns have been expressed, and I will address them in the next chapter. Please read and review.**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Fight to the end**_

_**A Pokemon fanfic**_

_**Ash POV**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon**_

_**Chapter 6**_

_italicized= mental speech_

"Safe at last," Connor says as he falls onto Cinnabar Island. We return our pokemon. Then I send out Gyarados. I have a few questions I want to ask.

_"Gyarados, I wish to speak with you."_

_"As you wish master. What questions do you have?"_

_"Why choose me as your trainer? I saw Gyarados in the waves, and all I felt was hostility. That started me to wondering. No Gyarados would willingly have a master, unless beaten half to death."_

_"It was an exchange at first. I had died before my time, and was allowed to return to life for a price. That price was first that I would be reborn and sacrifice any hope of simply passing on and having my spirit fade into nothingness, instead I will become a ghost after death. The second part of the price that I would serve you faithfully until your death or mine. I do not know why you were wanted preserved and aided, but I agreed. Gyarados hang onto life with everything in them, always."_

_"Who offered this bargain?"_

_"Mew offered the deal, and Mew's reasons are Mew's alone." _That is all I get out of Gyarados, which returns itself and refuses to be called out. I ask more by connecting with its mind in its poke ball, but I don't get anything more.

"What was that?" Michael asks, backing away from me, hands between us. Terror is written on his face.

"My psychic powers. I match Sabrina almost in subtlety, and can squish her like a Caterpie in terms of raw power," I inform them. I can do so because in the ranks of human psychic power, a blue glow is medium, and my gold is near the top of the rankings. I also don't use my power for much, so it builds up over time. Originally I was weak, only a red, which is three ranks below a blue. But for years as my mind developed, I gained power. As I didn't use that power, my abilities had to expand to contain that power. So, I rose through the ranks by sheer necessity. If my capacity hadn't expanded, my mind would have burned itself out in a blast of psychic power that would have destroyed everything near me.

"I had bad experiences with psychics as a kid. Sorry about that, but I'm still terrified of them." Michael says. I grimace. That has been known to happen. Some abuse their strength, and make people like Michael, who usually want to destroy all psychics everywhere. I gather my power for a fight if necessary. "Hey!" Michael shouts. My eyes had started to glow as I gathered the strength I let fade away after the fight with Sabrina. Usually it would take preparation to gather my strength, but I can go without. "I do not want to eradicate psychics. You can stop gathering your strength." Michael says calmly. Mostly calmly, as I can sense terror beneath. I let the strength I had gathered fade partially, then immediately turn away and bring my strength back as I sense hostile psychics approaching. Nothing stronger then a gray, which is just one rank stronger then blue, but all are mostly trained, which gives an advantage to them. I have to burn their minds out quickly with pure power, then strike with pure strength to eradicate their bodies. They appear instantly, slipping out of a fold in the fabric of the world, and strike at me with power. I shield from that strike, then attack back with a wave of power to destroy. They slip out of the way, moving through the world's fabric. One spits out several curses as he sees the color my eyes are glowing.

"Why are you trying to hurt this kid, psychic?" One calls out. It is the gray ranked psychic, who obviously leads. Michael corrects him.

"I had bad experiences with other psychics, a long time ago, and he was expecting me to attack. You just stirred him up." They look shocked at this, then relax just as I unleash the second attack I was going to use. They tense and slip away again, moving behind me.

"Why is he still attacking, sir?" One asks. "We settled this peacefully."

"No we didn't," the gray ranked replies. "We struck first, now he has the right to destroy us if he has the power, or at least me as your teacher, and there is only one possible outcome when it is gray against gold, no matter the training of the gold or the gray. He may know little, but raw power will win in the end. He can afford to send strike after strike like that at me, and it takes too much power to evade that kind of... Whoa!"

This is startled out of him as bolts of psychic power strike from above and below. While he spoke, I moved power through air and ground and prepared to strike at him. He slipped away from the attack, though it cost him heavily to shield from the bit of power that struck him. He barely evaded, then he swears loudly as I call fire from the earth, and fire is not far below on this island. The blaze strikes hard, melting the stone around him. Psychic barriers go up as he tries to slip away, and the gray can't find a fold in the world's fabric, a hole in the weave to slip through to safety. He starts using power to create platforms of air, which are eradicated by bolts of psychic lightning.

I feel him trying to get a sense for my power, as I try to get a sense of his strength. He is weak now, though his power feels comforting, almost like a summer night's warmth and calm. He gets a sense for my strength,which is barely depleted, as I have been simply using what was already there for the most part. I feel his sense of my power, and sense my own strength. Cold and ruthless, no mercy within it and icier than midwinter in the north. A force of nature, rather than anything with even a trace of humanity. His strength is for healing, from the impression I got, while mine is best suited to battle or destruction, much like Sabrina's. I feel his calculation, then he lowers to the ground, and speaks once more. "I yield. Destroy me if you wish, but I ask that you spare my students. They may be able to help you grasp your power better," and with that his defenses slip away, and his power fades into rest, waiting to be called again. I consider, then allow most of my strength to fade, though I am still shielding and have enough ready to deal with treachery. I shake my head.

"Enough destruction has been unleashed already. Look around you," I tell him, when he starts looking confused. Then he looks shocked. Lava has created destruction in many places, and the lightning blasted craters into existence almost everywhere. My first strike at him destroyed several buildings. The shields that stopped escape caused small avalanches which were mostly rock, though some ice and a few trees. The seas are currently raging, destroying ships that attempt to approach, and a storm is roaring out its fury within the skies. The consequences of unleashing power. Destruction everywhere, homes turned to rubble, ships ripped apart, avalanches burying the land in rock and ice.

"I see. Very well, this duel is complete. I should have carried the duel farther away, where it wouldn't affect so many," and with that, he slips through the world. The rest of the psychics follow, and I find my own fold in the fabric and join them. Michael, Jack and Connor were shielded from the duel, and Connor is apparently cursing his luck of not being psychic at the moment. I will train for better control here for a time, a couple of weeks, then return to my fellow trainers who have no sponsoring professor, but instead must fend for themselves.

**_Sorry I took so long to update. Writer's block is nasty, and I had a bad case. I will try to write more often. Please review, as they fuel my drive to write._**


	7. Chapter 7

_**Fight to the end**_

_**A Pokemon fanfic**_

_**Ash POV**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon**_

_**Chapter 7  
**_

"You have trained here for the past several weeks. You are eight months into your journey, and we have taught you as much as we can. In just a few short months, you must be at the Indigo Plateau," the psychic master I fought when I first came here, named Marcus, says.

"I thank you for the instruction. I shall be leaving soon to combat Blaine," is my final words to him, then I slip through the fabric of the world to where my friends are. They look shocked when I appear, then crowd around me, welcoming me back. A new trainer joined us, by the name of Harold Blaze. I reforged myself, and I am now no longer the banked ashes of the fire, but the roaring inferno. I am the bane of my foes. I am Bane Inferno, a trainer who will destroy all who stand against him. The others have won their badge from the Cinnabar Gym, or at least one of them. Apparently a second gym opened here recently, a water type gym. They won there. I begin preparing to face off at that Gym. The rules are six on six. I select Electabuzz, Zapdos, Raichu and Magneton for my electric types, then I choose Weepinbell and Bulbasaur for my grass types. I head to the gym, ready for combat. When I arrive, I am shown onto the battlefield to find my former traveling companion, Misty. The referee announces the rules, which include no substitutions for either side. Misty sends out Starmie. I call out my battle cry.

"Electabuzz, stand by for battle!"

"Misty Waterflower against Bane Inferno! Battle begin!" The ref calls.

"Confusion, Starmie!"

"Break free and use Sunny Day!" Electabuzz breaks the attack and the sun brightens massively. Heat pounds down on us.

"Take Down, then use Hydro Pump!"

"Wait for it, wait for it..." I say as Starmie nears. Just as it is about to hit, I snap, "Solarbeam," and the massively hot, shining like a small sun beam of golden-white light smashes into Starmie, sending it into the wall.

"Starmie is unable to battle, Electabuzz is the winner!" The ref announces. That battle sets the pattern for the next four. Electabuzz beats Seadra, Wartortle, Vaporeon, and Tentacruel. Then Misty sends out her own Gyarados. It manages, with a quick Hyper Beam, to take Electabuzz down before it can use Thunder. Now this is personal.

"Gyarados, stand by for battle!" I cry. My teammates start criticizing me for a bad choice. But Misty's Gyarados can't move for a moment. "Giga Impact!" I call. The attack strikes without mercy, annihilating Misty's Gyarados.

"Gyarados is unable to battle, Gyarados is the winner! This battle goes to the challenger, Bane Inferno!" My companions crowd around me, providing a sort of guard. It isn't unusual for a trainee in a gym to have one of his pokemon attack a rogue, as we are called, to avenge the loss of their master losing to scum like us. We are seen as future criminals and show-offs because we carry all our pokemon and have no room for mercy against any foe of ours, or as weaklings because professors cast us away, and of course that would only happen to weak trainers. The prediction proves true. A Hydro Pump comes from the Wartortle of one of the trainees. Electric and Grass types flash into existence as rogues reach for pokeballs and release pokemon in one smooth, quick movement with an ease that speaks of long practice. Thunder and Solarbeam attacks powered by the Sunny Day Electabuzz used earlier flash towards the Wartortle. They smash through the Hydro Pump and take the Wartortle down with ruthless savagery. Thunder Punch follows from the Raichu  
and Electabuzz that were released, bringing down the Kingler and Seadra, both of which were released by the same trainer. We return our pokemon and back away from the area, ready for battle again. We move in a sort of star, covering all angles. Time for Blaine now. I plan to go through Cinnabar's gyms in one day. I switch my six for the water gym with Golem, Dugtrio, Dragonair, Kingdra, Raichu, and Gyarados. That should cover it. After a few hours of trekking to the gym, and then almost an hour of watching my friends lose to Blaine, I prepare my pokemon.

"The rules for this battle are full six on six with no substitutions for either side. Leader Blaine of Cinnabar Gym against Rogue Bane Inferno! Battle begin!" The ref calls out. We nod. Blaine starts with Ninetales.

"Dugtrio, stand by for battle!"

"Very well. Ninetales, Sunny Day!" Knowing this will be followed by Solarbeam, I call out,

"Dugtrio, use Dig!"

"Solarbeam! Keep it going and sweep the field!" I see Dugtrio come up towards the surface just under Ninetales.

"Earthquake, then use Magnitude!" The attack strikes from underground, just where Ninetales stands is the epicenter. It goes down. Dugtrio surfaces and promptly gets taken out by the Solarbeam from the Arcanine Blainesends out. Dragonair avenges Dugtrio, but loses to Charizard as it takes Blaine's third pokemon down with it. Raichu and Kingdra fight hard, but Rapidash manages to win against them, though Kingdra brings Rapidash down. Gyarados beats his next pokemon, a Electabuzz obviously meant to take down water types, though loses to Magmar as it moves in the lava and strikes without warning.

"Golem, fight to the end!" I call. Golem is at home in molten stone. I send it into the lava and instruct to use the attack meant for grass types, Ice Beam. The lava cools and forms new rock, a platform and a larger shell for Golem. Blaine curses. We both know the battle is over. With that platform, Golem's ground attacks will transmit through the lava. Slowly, the platform is expanded, till there is nowhere for Magmar to hide. An Earthquake ends this battle. This was an extremely hard battle. Gyarados hasn't gone down in any fight except against Koga, but a fire type took it down. I need to work hard. I've been coasting on the power of the pokemon I caught wild, without strengthening them to their best level of power. I thought I had stopped coasting before, but now it really is time to stop coasting.

I throw myself into training for the next three months while every single one of us rogues prepares to face the last hurdle. Giovanni and his ground types. We catch grass or water types, save for myself, as I only fight every pokemon that comes my way. I find strong wild pokemon, battle them with types weak to them, and win as much as possible. Some wild pokemon do manage to win, and I then train my pokemon against each other, then challenge it again. My companions complain that I am making it difficult for them to find weaker pokemon, as wild pokemon grow strong to challenge me when I battle them. So my companions cannot find a weaker pokemon to raise to strength. I have to start catching pokemon for them, just to give them the types they'll need. Battle after battle goes by, as I start having to range farther and farther, looking for fights. After three months, I am ready for the challenge. We enter the gym to find the two Team Rocket members that annoyed me until I went rogue. Jessie and James. I groan and facepalm. We challenge them to a two on one battle, if our representative wins we all get the badge. I am chosen by lot from among us, and they get the first move. At least they have new pokemon.

"Rhydon, let's go!" Jessie shouts.

"Kangaskhan, you too!" James calls.

"Oh, very well. Kingdra, stand by for battle!" I call in an extremely bored tone.

"Rhydon, Horn Drill!"

"Kangaskhan, Thunder Punch!" The two pokemon charge. I wait until the last second, then snap.

"Blizzard!" Rhydon howls in agony as the super effective move hits, and Kangaskhan is frozen solid. When the storm clears, Rhydon is down, and Jessie screams in fury. "Now use Focus Blast to end this," I command. The strike puts Kangaskhan down for the count. The formalities are respected, we get the badge, then Team Rocket attempts to steal our pokemon. Raichu and Gyarados put an end to those plans. In other words, Team Rocket is blasting off again. Boring us to death. We find our badges and several poke balls that have pokemon in them, but no registered owners. We look at each other. We look at the poke balls. We look at each other again. Then we shrug and draw lots for who gets which. I draw the Omanyte, Kabuto, Snorlax, Tauros, Vulpix, Squirtle, and the extremely rare Articuno the Rockets had captured. Each of us takes seven pokemon, and are content with our choices.

Training begins immediately for my new pokemon, and I start roaming far from the group during the day, using Alakazam to teleport back at night. I am searching for the third of the legendary trio, Moltres. I go through every area it has been spotted at, blasting every pokemon in my way. I see it a few times, but it always escapes before I can corner it. Just when I bring it to ground, a group of trainers interferes. Brock is among them, as is Ritchie. There are three others, including Gary. One of them I think is Sabrina, but she looks different now. Finally I identify the other, who is Koga's daughter, Janine. They have cornered Moltres, and are attempting to capture it. I grit my teeth, groan in pain at dealing with them and letting my work in cornering Moltres go to waste, as it will escape once I deal with the pokemon attacking it, and call forth Gyarados, Zapdos, and Articuno. The six pokemon from Gary's group keep on attacking Moltres. A Arcanine from Gary, a Arbok from Janine, Sabrina's Kadabra, Ritchie's Pikachu, and Brock's Golem. Then there is the real insult, that made my mind up by interfering. A Gyarados from Gary.

"Zapdos, Thunder! Articuno, Blizzard! Gyarados, Earthquake!" I roar. Gary's group now notices me, just as the attacks strike. Thunder brings Gary's Gyarados down, Blizzard strikes and eliminates Golem, and Earthquake puts Arcanine, Pikachu, and Arbok down for the count. Then Gyarados uses Crunch to finish Kadabra. I turn to Moltres, hoping it hasn't yet escaped. It has and now I have to redo my work, only now it is going to be far more wary of me.

"Why did you do that? We almost had it!" Gary rages.

"I did that because I spent a long time tracking it down, leaving myself only a month before the League, two months until I turn eleven and must move to a new region as Kanto allows no rogue to stay there past their birthday if they have competed in its league or finished the business they came for. I will not have my prize, that which was born of the same clutch as my Zapdos and Articuno, go to trainers who overwhelmed it with numbers. The legendary birds are born in threes, one of each to a clutch. That clutch, that hatching, is always the one that works best together, and I am not having the Moltres from the clutch of my other two captured by anyone else. Understood?" I ask in a tone filled with no mercy, but promises of pain aplenty.

"You were the one who tired it out, then?" Ritchie asks. I nod, fury in my heart. "Sorry about going after it. You have rights to it, as you were the one who spent so long hunting it down. Now your work is ruined." I nod, not trusting myself to keep my temper under control, and when my temper blows up, so will Gyarados'.

"We don't have to listen to a _rogue_, Gary," Brock says. "They are just thieves, after all. They steal from those trainers who are actually good at what they do, who have sponsoring professors and families. Now let's go after Moltres," Brock ends.

"No. I knew this trainer when he was Ash Ketchum, and I know him now that he is a rogue. His pokemon brought down ours. Three against six. He is right about the trio, as well, and league rules state that any with two of the three must get the third from any who capture it. Rogues have the hardest time of it, with no sponsor, and I won't make his life harder. If you need help bringing Moltres to bay again, I'll help out," Gary says. I nod my head in acknowledgement of his offer.

"I am Bane Inferno, rogue trainer, with no place to call home or lineage to honor," I use the usual introduction for rogues. "I accept your aid, Gary Oak of Pallet Town, grandson of Samuel Oak. May honor be brought upon your name for this," and I bow slightly, one trainer to another, revealing the eight badges I have gathered. Gary reveals his six badges.

"It is an honor to aid such an accomplished trainer," are his words before he crosses to stand at my side. All but Brock follow him, and I thank them for their aid.

"You'll see, _rogue_. I'll capture Moltres, then we'll see who is better. You are not getting your hands on it," he spits out.

"Then I will welcome you to our ranks, for becoming a rogue is the punishment for withholding a pokemon from its owner by league laws," I say. Then I turn and leave while Brock is still sputtering in outrage. It takes two weeks to bring Moltres to ground again. Two weeks to find it, bring it to bay, and bring it to ground in a mountain. I motion for the others to just keep Moltres from escaping. I will deal with it alone. "Golem, let's go!" I call, and in a flash of light, Golem appears. Moltres uses Flamethrower to start.

"Rollout through the flames, then use Rock Slide!" I call. Golem goes through the flames, wrapping them around it and crashing into Moltres, then using Rock Slide as it comes out of Rollout, dispersing the flames. Moltres does not like being hit by rocks, and retaliates with an unexpected, and wholly unwelcome Solarbeam. "If Moltres wants to play 'who can use the most unexpected attack,' by all means, lets play. Surf, Golem!" Now it is Moltres' turn to be hit by an unexpected and unwelcome attack. But it manages to struggle into the air. With a curse I give the next order. "Thunderbolt, then keep your Ice Beam going until it is frozen solid!" I order. The Thunderbolt hits, but Ice Beam is countered by Flamethrower. No matter, that was just a screen. Golem knows this pattern. We expected Ice Beam to be blocked, but every attack puts Golem a little closer as it advances on Moltres, and drains the power from Moltres. "Sequence 12!" I snap. Golem starts using Rollout as it continues Ice Beam, creating a shield against Moltres' attacks as it spins in place, sending out waves of icy strength, freezing the walls, floor, and roof of the cave we're fighting in. Then Ice Beam is replaced by Thunderbolt, now that Moltres cannot land. The electricity reflects off the walls of the ice sphere Golem has made, through which none of my commands will be heard, but Golem knows how to continue. The Thunderbolt hits Moltres from all angles, paralyzing it, and then Golem comes out of Rollout and uses Surf. An ice cold wave hits Moltres, along with Golem, which moved back into Rollout once it got Surf going. It still can't start Surf while using Rollout. That combo is the end of sequence 12, and starts sequence 5. Golem uses Rollout to slingshot rocks from a Rock Slide, then once Moltres is properly battered by this, hits with Thunderbolt again and again. The sequence is completed with an Earthquake and Gravity combination, the Gravity attack bringing Moltres to earth, unable to fly, as Earthquake hits Moltres hard. The ice sphere breaks down under the Earthquake, and I catch Moltres in an ultra ball. It needs the extra strength to stay in the poke ball. The legendary took a beating during that fight. Brock enters just in time to see Moltres captured, and swears. Myself and my compatriots move together, a wall. He turns and leaves, furious.

My little group of rogues and trainers, as we all decided to work together for safety of numbers, eats one last meal together, then splits up. We rogues move quickly to the plateau, reaching there a week before it starts, and ten months, three weeks into my journey. We find rest at the Indigo Plateau until the tournament starts, a rarity for our kind. Team Rocket interferes several times on the way to the plateau, and get to blast off several times. Few rogues like Team Rocket. They give us a bad name, as they have former rogues among them. Those that join Team Rocket from the rogue ranks are their best, but any rogue who meets one will do their absolute best to eliminate them for good. In other words, end their life. We all hate them for the bad name they give us, and many have committed capital crimes. Anyways, for every rogue that joins them, the deaths rates for rogues due to being attacked by trainers with a sponsoring professor go up by nine percent. Already I have run into five such attacks, and stopped them each time. I now know why every rogue is so quick to go for their poke balls. They have to be ready, or they very well might die.

**_Sorry about the long delay in updating, I had writer's block again. Any complaints about how the story is written, I gladly accept and hope to use those complaints to make the story better. Enjoy reading._**


	8. Indigo Plateau

_**Fight to the end**_

_**A Pokemon fanfic**_

_**Ash POV**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon**_

_**Chapter 7  
**_

"Bane, I don't know whether or not you learned this, but most rogues don't live past twenty. I'm nineteen, which is old for a rogue." Harold says. "My group of trainers, the ones I traveled with originally when I got my first pokemon, was cut loose at the same time. Since then, to ambush, gym trainers, and the purges, I'm the only trainer left out of seventeen. We were a large group, which is highly unusual, but all of us didn't want to stay in our small town anymore, and were friends from the time we were born. But now I am the only one surviving. There has been much grief in the years since we were cut loose. Now, the purges are what you need to know about. They occur every ten years. The League branch in Kanto doesn't like us cluttering up the area, so every five years, they set out on a crusade to slay every one of us they can. The last purge, four years ago, claimed six of my comrades, all of them Elite Four level, as they had faced off against Bruno or Lorelei the time we ran into them and won. Three of them taken down at once. Rogues are required to register, and they manage to make up crimes so we're returned here if we are in other regions. Two friends of mine were claimed by that technique. But this only happens because we're Kanto citizens. The other regions know what goes on, but can't stop it. Team Rocket takes in some of those desiring to flee the purge, and there is a network allowing others to escape. If we manage to become citizens anywhere else, then we can be safe. Those of Kanto can't harm us without serious trouble. Now, after the league, the purges will be starting, so you need to know the escape routes. The others already know. There is a path not far from the plateau that leads to a safehouse, right on the border. While you all make your escape, I'll be holding them off. If those carrying out the purge reach you before you escape into the tunnel, Michael will take on the duty. They must not know the route. We will die, but both of us belonged to bands now dead, and will happily join our comrades. Your job is to run, Bane. Don't look back. Michael and I, we're both dead already. We just haven't gotten around to lying down in our coffins yet. When the time comes, ignore the walking dead men and run. That will be the day we stop breathing, and others will go down with us. If we all lose early on, then we leave immediately. This year, we are the only rogue group heading towards the plateau, so we will be on our own. Am I understood?" Harold asks. I nod, then rise. I see every one of us is changing from simple black clothes into black hooded cloaks and black leather armor, which then has chain mail and plate armor put over it. After the chest plate is on, we add pauldrons and secure the plate armor on our arms into those, then do the same with the armor at our hips, which connects to the armor covering our legs. Boots of tough leather, which have steel studs covering the tops as armor, and gloves with chain mail embedded into the leather, finish the main ensemble. The the helms lock into the pauldrons and provide an extra layer of protection. The faceplate is brought down over the main helm and inserts over the eyes are activated. Our eyes are glowing red, and now we are also seeing in the infrared and ultraviolet ranges, courtesy of the inserts. We look something like evil knights from a long time ago. All of us set our pokeballs into our belts, and the cloaks cover the armor and all that can be seen of us are glowing red eyes. This is used for the League in case things turn extremely nasty. The attacks there come form highly powerful pokemon, so we are prepared for blows. The armor is made to resist any attack, as are the cloaks. Now we leave our camp and stride into the stadium. I am to be in the first match of the day, a three on three, and the trainer I'm facing is a surprise. Janine, daughter of Koga.

"Janine versus..." the referee trails off. He forgot my name. "Excuse me sir, what is your name again?" He asks desperately.

"Bane Inferno, rogue," I say, the vocalizer in the helm changing my voice from its usual tone into a snarl almost, one and a half octaves deeper than it should be.

"Thank you. Janine, a registered trainer, versus Bane Inferno, a rogue! This battle will be three on three. Substitutions are allowed. Please send out your first pokemon, each of you!"

"Arbok, let's go!" Janine calls as she chooses her pokemon. I draw my pokeball, not revealing my armor.

"Alakazam, stand by for battle!" I command. The snarl rumbles out the words from my vocalizer, as Alakazam appears.

"Battle begin!"

"Psychic, then hit it with Mega Punch at point blank range. I have worked on my Alakazam's physical attack, unlike most. The strike hits hard at point blank range, and it turns out to be a critical hit. Psychic did a lot of damage, and Arbok is down for the count. I see another part of my armor activate, and tactical lists of moves, lists of Janine's pokemon preferences, evaluations of strategies, and possible angles for attack start showing up. This part of my armor, the tactical readout, also shows angles and power levels needed to achieve critical hits. It guesses where the enemy will be and puts together highly useful data. Rogues can always use this edge, seeing as we have certain prohibitions against our training here at the Indigo Plateau. Technically it is cheating, but only if we get caught. They cheat as well, having our pokemon weakened before battle by inhibitors.

"Arbok, return. Let's go, Voltorb!"

"Very well. Alakazam, return. Cubone, stand by for battle!" Cubone prepares for a fight. "Magnitude!" I call.

"Explosion!" Janine calls. Voltorb gets in close, then goes boom. Cubone and Voltorb are down. I return Cubone and deactivate the vocalizer to praise it for a moment. Then I reactivate my vocalizer and snarl.

"Crobat, your turn!" Janine says, as her last pokemon joins us.

"Alakazam, stand by for battle!"

"Toxic!" Great, just great. The strike hits. I am now in trouble. Toxic affects again and again as Crobat dodges, and Alakazam faints. I curse quietly, and choose my last pokemon. Then I recognize this Crobat. Janine's father loaned her a pokemon for this tournament. Time for revenge.

"Storms rumble in the sky, ever thundering from on high, bring forth now your fury and might..." I see Janine looking puzzled, then horrified. Crobat winces, and the other rogues are looking cheerful through their armor, as much as is possible to express such a thing. "Descend to me, within human sight. COME FORTH, O MIGHTY LORD OF THUNDER!" I boom, and Zapdos appears. "Ready for a rematch, Crobat?" I ask Janine's pokemon. Crobat answers by fleeing and trying to push Janine out onto the battlefield. She sends it back out, and the slaughter begins. Crobat evades strike after strike, but is soon exhausted. Zapdos is nowhere near tired. Now I give the last commands. "Rain Dance, then use Thunder," is all I say. Janine curses. She knows that this is all over. Crobat doesn't have the strength left to take a Thunder head on. The attack hit, and the person moving on will be me. Janine is set for her next battle, as she has to win two out of three preliminaries to move into the real rounds.

My next two battles are back to back, one against a trainer whose Bellsprout is their strongest pokemon, and unusually mobile. The other is against one of the trainers who started alongside me from Pallet Town. They fight well, but neither has pokemon to match the two teams I use, which are Pidgeot, Raichu, and Houndoom for the girl with the Bellsprout, and Magmar, Electabuzz, and Dragonair. The first match I lose Raichu to the girl's Rhyhorn, which Houndoom then brings down. Houndoom then brings down the next pokemon, a , but loses to the Bellsprout. Pidgeot finishes by bringing the Bellsprout down with ease Magmar brings down the boys Venusaur, but is taken down by his Gyarados. I am insulted by his using my favorite pokemon, and Dragonair unleashes its rage, though due to my foe having a Gengar that knows Destiny Bond, and switching it out for a moment to tie Dragonair and Gyarados together, so we both have but one pokemon. But Dragonair got in a good hit, and Electabuzz is powerful and fresh to combat. I also use my psychic abilities to direct it towards the best strikes. That takes care of the first day, and tomorrow I shall move on to join the 128 trainers who shall continue competing. Only myself and Michael shall be continuing to the next matches, as the rest were weakened too much by the power inhibitors on their pokemon. Michael is planning to throw his next match however, so we will all be prepared to leave, concentrated in one stadium. We cannot guard two of us at once, and Michael thinks I have the better chance. That night, some of Harold's pokemon he doesn't want joining him in death are shared out among us. I get to add a new pokemon to my team, getting the smallest share as I'm the newest rogue among us. A new Gyarados is added to my team, this one red. Not as powerful as my starter, and nowhere near as large, but I can work with him. Michael agrees with this plan and gives us his pokemon just in case. Both would prefer giving away all their pokemon, but some had friends among the dead bands of the two rogues, and refuse to leave their masters. They will die with them. For my share, I receive a Golbat and a Dratini, which will go will with my Dragonair. A Pikachu is added after some negotiations, and I hand over one of the Onix I captured during my little training sessions while I prepared for the Viridian Gym. This team will do for tomorrow. Let us hope that we will not be entangled by victory so long we do not live to see many more sunrises.

**_I hope you like this chapter. If anyone has a suggestion for the name of that fellow trainer from Pallet Town, or remembers the name of that trainer with the Bellsprout, tell me and I'll edit this chapter to include the battles in full. Please review, and thanks for reading._**


	9. Chapter 9

_**Fight to the end**_

_**A Pokemon fanfic**_

_**Ash POV**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon**_

_**Chapter 7  
**_

"Now that the qualifying matches are over, we are a full two weeks into the Indigo League tournament. Only 128 trainers are left, and only one shall earn the right to challenge the champion through this tournament. Let the battles begin!" The announcer shouts. The matches are chosen, and I prepare. Mine will be the first match. Also, there is one peculiarity. The Elite Four, to test themselves, are also in the tournament. I see who I am matched against, and a stream of curses in four different languages flows from my mouth for the next five minutes. I then double check my gear before entering the field. I see my opponent on the other side of the battlefield.

"This battle will be between Bane Inferno, a rogue, and Elite Four member Lance of Blackthorn City! THis match will be six on six, no substitutions allowed during a battle, only between battles. Let the battle begin!"

"Dragonite, aid me now!" Lance calls.

"Blizzards obscure every path, nowhere to turn in the mountain mist, yet power hides within the ice, ruling the snow, bringing the cold within mortal's sight. COME FORTH, O MIGHTY LORD OF ICE!" I command. Articuno appears and starts a blizzard almost instantly. I grin in triumph. Articuno finally got how to exert its natural power to create a snowstorm around it. Both pokemon are in the air as the field is chosen. The ice field is where we shall do battle, and I get the first move. "Blizzard, then move into sequence 19!" I call. Articuno knows what to do. I was allowed to train, and my pokemon have been watched. Sequence 19 is well known, as it is one of the more common ones. However, Articuno is put out of position to start that sequence by Blizzard, and instead moves into the series of sequence 13, 7, 14, 1. Lance gives his command right after I have uttered mine. He expects the Ice Beam that begins nineteen.

"Dodge and use Flamethrower!" He commands. Dragonite dodges, then the Flamethrower strikes harshly at nothing. Instead a Glacier Crush hits it, followed by a barrage of Frost Talons. Frost Talon is a dual type move, ice and flying, and will always be a critical hit. Sequence 13 is a close in combat sequence, which is proven by the following Aerial Ace, Wing Strike, Sky Attack, and Drill Peck. Then sequence 7, capitalizing on the distance Dragonite has been driven back, hits with Ice Beam, Blizzard, Hail, and finally another Ice Beam to the wings. Sequence 14 forces the loss of altitude with a Glacier Crush to the back as Articuno mixes it with Extremespeed, and then uses Seismic Toss, which may be ineffective, but is nonetheless useful, to send down, followed by icy boulders as Articuno mixes Rock Slide and Blizzard. Sequence 1 finishes the battle as Lance looks on in pain, as his perfect strategy is wrecked in less than 30 second by the first three sequences. Ice Beam to immobilize it, Blizzard to damage, and finally a point blank Sheer Cold. Dragonite goes down.

"..." Silence follows for a moment as people have it sink in. Dragonite, Lance's most powerful pokemon, has been defeated in less than a minute. Not just defeated, annihilated. It never got a solid hit in. Everything, all its desperate escape attempts, were dismantled. It never got anything going. It never stood a chance. "I...I don't believe it. Dragonite is unable to battle! Articuno is the winner!" The announcer says.

"Nice work with the change of sequences. I take it that was preprepared, since everyone saw your practices?" Lance asks. I nod. "Guess becoming a rogue was good for you. I won't pretend you didn't deal a blow. That would be an insult to your skill. But I am not going down so easily," Lance says. I return Articuno. "Gyarados, aid me now!"

"Very well. Storms rumble in the sky, ever thundering from on high, bring forth now your fury and might, descend to me, within human sight. COME FORTH, O MIGHTY LORD OF THUNDER!" Lance groans as if in pain when he hears the summons.

"I have to deal with two of the legendary birds? Fine then, let's go. Gyarados, Dragon Rage!"

"Volt Impact," is the only command I give. It is all I need to say. Crackling with an aura of gold and violet electricity surrounding him, Zapdos strikes. Gyarados goes down. The double type advantage of the electric aspect of Volt Impact against the water flying type Gyarados, which has had its defense badly neglected, is catastrophic. Lance returns his Gyarados as the announcer declares the match while in awe. I return Zapdos. Momentum is behind me now, and if I keep it with me and don't let any of Lance's pokemon stay able to fight long enough to build up power, then I can win. If they get their footing, I am doomed.

"Venusaur, aid me now!" Lance calls. Not much draconic about this pokemon, but I can deal with it.

"Fire burns within the earth, and rains with fury from mountains whose peaks are claimed by the sky, yet ever now your flaming might shows humans the way, so I beg you, hear my cry. COME FORTH, O MIGHTY LORD OF FIRE!" Lance curses.

"All three of them. You just had to have all three of the legendary birds? Now I have to deal with them with four pokemon, plus your Dragonair, and whatever others you are keeping in store? I won't forfeit, but this is going to hurt for me. A lot. Do you know how long it is since I have been defeated? Now I get to be humiliated by being beaten by a rogue."

"I'll make you a deal. You can have this put down as a victory on the books. You keep your reputation. I move on in the tournament, and you ensure safe passage for the group of rogues at the plateau to a region of our choice, and support us being given citizenship there. You intercede if necessary to ensure that. That keeps us from the purges and you from humiliation. A win-win situation," I say as I attempt to reason with him. He takes a moment to consider it, and people agree with that. They say that losing his reputation to the other regions is worse then letting a few rogues go free.

" The safe passage I can agree to. Once you reach a safehouse of yours, you get the passage. I'll argue for your citizenship anywhere else as well. Wasting your potential is a crime. I cannot guarantee safe passage from the plateau. You also move on, but officially, it will be counted as my win, and I claim credit for your victories. We'll move your triumph if you win the tournament to last year's records, which are not yet published in other regions. Deal?" Lance asks.

"You have a deal. We already have an exit path, so I can accept guaranteed safe passage from the nearest safehouse. As for credit, I don't mind. Now let us finish our battle," I say.

"That would be a waste of time and pokemon. Also, your starter is powerful, and I meant Dragonite to bring it down. Let me sketch out your pokemon. Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Dragonair, that black Gyarados, and finally perhaps your Kingdra. I am not confident I could take all three of the birds down. Venusaur can be written off against Moltres. I doubt Aerodactyl would beat Kingdra. I am certain my second Gyarados would lose to Zapdos. Beating all six of them with only my Charizard, especially Gyarados and Kingdra, would be next to impossible. Now, do we have an understanding?" Lance asks. I nod.

"Our deal lets you back down honorably. Otherwise we would have done this the hard way," I say as the announcer sets the board to show my victory. Lance nods and returns Venusaur as he leaves. I return Moltres, turn, and stride out of the stadium. Over the next two weeks, I win battle after battle, against trainer after trainer, testing my pokemon against others, coming near to losing several times, but I reach the finals. Just before the battle, I speak to Lance.

"Bane, you've fought well. You are a strong fighter, and s a rogue your potential was taken to its best. You were turned from a rough gem into a shining jewel. But you rely too much on your power. Your pokemon are strong, but that is all they are. You don't back them up with enough strategy or speed. Your opponent will have a strategy. I wish you the best of luck, but this is going to be very hard for you," Lance says as he walks away. His words hit like a hammer blow. I have been relying on strength, muscling though battles. I created the sequences, but that was my only concession to strategy. Sequences can be memorized and turned against me. More planning for me it looks like. From now on strategy, not power, is my goal. My lack of strategy is proven bad in the next battle. Moltres loses to the foe's Seadra, which is taken out by Zapdos. Then Articuno defeats the foe's Venusaur, only to lose to a Magmar, which ties with Zapdos. Dragonair takes out the foe's Dragonite, which had low power but a large arsenal of attacks, but loses to a Dewgong, which then loses to my Raichu. The foe's Golem takes Raichu down, and then my Gyarados, my first pokemon, faces off against this foe. For fifteen minutes, it is attack and counter attack, sequence against sequence. Then it is all over. A single attack hits critically. Gyarados managed to connect with its Hydro Pump, and victory is mine. Right after Golem falls and the win is declared, Gyarados faints from exhaustion. I return it and return to my rooms, so that I might prepare to leave. After all, the purges are about to start. Rogues are already fleeing Kanto as fast as possible, taking ships, tunnels, and pokemon as far from this region as possible. Before I settle to rest for our escape tomorrow, I wonder. Will I survive the purges?

**_I did my best to get this chapter out more quickly. This will be the end of the Kanto arc of this story, though if there are any suggestions made, I will improve this arc as much as possible. Please review and tell me if you think Ash, now Bane, should survive. I look forward to any feedback you may have to give me. Thank you for reading my story, and I hope you continue to do so._**


	10. Chapter 10

_**Fight to the end**_

_**A Pokemon fanfic**_

_**Ash POV**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon**_

_**Chapter 7  
**_

"Time to leave. Everyone packed?" Harold asks. Answers in the affirmative go around. Weapons are drawn, and last minute add ons to the insane amount of armament we carry are installed. I cycle my minicannon and the recently added grenade launcher. I remember the original description of my warplate when Harold explained it to me.

"The first layer of the warplate is leather armor dyed black, with chain mail over it, which covers the entire body. Then the armor is covered by a layer of plate armor, which also covers the full body. Pauldrons are the shoulder pieces, which in this case connect the neckpiece to the rest of the armor. The neckpiece connects to the helm, which is the standard Greek style with a faceplate that looks like a raven's head extending over the gorget from the forehead down, where there is normally no armor in that style of the helm. The plume is Rapidash hair, which is lit on fire like that pokemon's mane when there is no hood over the helm. Inserts in the raven's eyes glow blood red and connect to a tactical and strategic computer which is networked through the armor that determines best possible critical hits, angles and power necessary for those hits, and how to take advantage of the terrain.

A vocalizer is used to change our voices, deepening the tone and changing the sound until it is something like a Mightyena's snarl mixed with a rockslide. A vicious, growling noise that crashes against the ears, it is nearly subsonic, and transmits the computer data to the pokemon through sounds they are trained to interpret, and that humans can't hear, and it disrupts the concentration of the foe's pokemon and the trainer. It also causes the foe's attacks to lose power since they cannot concentrate as much strength into it.

Over our armor is a long hooded black robe, the sleeves of which cover the entire arm, as well as the gloves, which are leather with chain mail embedded in it. The hood shields the helm from view, showing only the red eyes. The rest of the robe covers all of the armor, right to the ground, even shielding the boots from view. The boots are leather with steel studs embedded in the top for protection, with chain mail links between the studs for extra shielding, and sharp steel spikes that can be used to eviscerate the enemy on the bottom, which also secures the trainer against the blast of an attack.

The robe is treated to withstand all attacks, and trails a bit on the ground, so takes a bit of work to move in without revealing the armor or tripping. A sword magnetically attached to the side that can be loaded with multiple poke balls for quick deployment, already supplied with the data they need about the situation through the computer link the blade has to the armor. The blade is a standard longsword, double edged with a sharpened point to match, and the poke balls are launched through the flat of the blade. It also cuts things really well, as do the two knives we carry along with a gladius.

The knives are long knives, double edged and sturdy, made for a quick thrust just as well as a slashing fight. The gladius has all edges and the point sharpened, and all points are made to not dull. In other words, we are well prepared for a fight, with the extra option of carrying a short recurve bow with 200 meters of range, a longbow with four times that range, or a compact sniper rifle with three quarters of the longbows range.

When concealment is not necessary, we can also carry a double bladed waraxe, a mace, a warhammer, javelins, or a spear. Three of these options may be used, as the armor is made to multiply strength and speed to eight or more times what it should be at minimum. It can increase abilties up to twenty times maximum. Considering that the armor is amplifying strength assuming a top speed of twelve miles per hour and the strength of a Machoke, so it amplifies that strength and speed, and all we operator needs to do is put a small movement into its systems. It is controlled by a mental link, which is operated by a computer implant added just before we came here.

Top speed the armor can reach when amplifying speed, which it also does to reflexes, is 240 miles per hour. Twenty times the strength of a Machoke, which is massively strong is the result of the rest of the amplification.

To provide oxygen during the time the armor is operating, it has a nutrient feed and oxygen recycler in it. It is made to operate for a week with no supplies while underwater, and is totally sealed. The waste recyclers use concentrated heat bursts to destroy all waste produced, while the armor itself is provided with a supply of nanobots for repair. These nanobots use the molecules of the air or other material around them to repair. The boots and gloves can be sealed by the armor, with metal extending over them. Injuries are healed quickly due to a super coagulant which repairs all injuries quickly, and also reinforces broken bone or muscle as it heals it. This makes them able to use the armor even more. A minicannon with the capability of puncturing two meter thick titanium plate through the use of its explosive superheated plasma and flechette/shrapnel charges is attached to both arms, with eight rotating barrels. It reloads quickly, and the pack set onto the back contains the ammo, which is replenished by repair nanobots. All weapons are protected by the seals of the armor. So the armor turns the wearer into a mobile tank, that can operate without resupply for a week, four weeks if in the open air instead of underwater. For underwater, fins or propellers are attached that may be activated. The minicannon has a range of three kilometers. Sights for all weapons are provided by the tactical computer. Very useful, and necessary for survival during the purges. Without this armor, we would be wiped out." Harold had said. It is extraordinarily expensive, but many of us have fortunes from tournaments or wealthy patrons. Now to put my armor to the test.

My new plasma cannon is readied and activated, as is the flamethrower. We move out, leaving no sign of our presence. Two miles from our goal, we encounter our foes. They call themselves the Inquisition of Kanto, and their stated purpose is to destroy those who blaspheme against the sacred rites of battle the legendaries laid down. Harold breaks through them with assault cannon roaring fury and vengeance, pokemon deployed. His comrade, Michael, strikes with rocket launcher and monofilament razor whip, but there are too many. We do not see them end their lives as we are already gone, at full speed the moment we are out of sight. We reach the tunnel just barely, ready to flee across the border. When we reach the checkpoint leading to the safehouse, the four guardians in improved versions of our armor check their HUDs, nod to us when we register appropriately, and allow our passage with a bracer clash as a salute, which we return. Two run to our previous site of battle to wipe out the Inquisitors and recover the armor of our lost brothers. Four more take their place, weapons cycling. Pokemon are sent out. This action is the official declaration of our war every half decade. We reach the safehouse, and paint the appropriate marks onto our armor to signify we have lost brothers. It is time to mourn.

When we finish the day of sorrow for our lost brothers in battle, we move out, safe passage received. The tunnel guards brought their weaponry and armor to us, and our band will keep it. A rogue band is a group completely autonomous, but still working with our main organization. Each of us has our own colors, name, and armor. The armor Harold and Michael once bore will be passed on to the next two to join our band. Before we cross the border, we are given a choice. Augmentation either biological or technological is available to us once we survive the first purge. Among us, only Harold and Michael had any experience with the purges. I choose a couple of minor biological augmentations, a second heart and having my bones set to grow into armor. Soon I will have thickened, strengthened bone plate over my chest made of my ribs that had fused together, and my other bones will strengthen in a similar manner. The bones of my head will also fuse. I had my eyes augmented technologically, with a new lens set in. Now that the lens has settled, my sight stretches into infrared and ultraviolet, and homes in on life more then inanimate objects. These augmentations will hopefully assist me in future troubles with this Inquisition of Kanto.

**_I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know I made the armor massively powerful, but they face a foe with massive resources, and they have to fight powerful pokemon as well. The armor is an equalizer for that battlefield. I have been reading Warhammer 40000, and I am thinking of turning this into a partial crossover with it and perhaps another series. I wouldn't bring the characters in, but would instead add some of those series concepts. Please return your feedback on this._**


	11. Chapter 11

_**Fight**** to the end**_

_**A Pokemon fanfic**_

_**Bane POV**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon**_

_**Chapter 11**_

"Bane, its time to move out. We can't stay here much longer before it is time to get to a city. We need to resupply," Lavender says.

"As ordered," I respond. I don my armor once more, and shortly my face is concealed behind the helm once more. I have painted and reforged it so it now resembles a skull. Anyone looking at me in full battle plate now sees a warrior in midnight clad, with a skull replacing his face. I stride forward, red eye slits glowing as I heft my recently acquired fusion cannon.

"Leave the cannon. We won't need it in this region. They don't have purges," Lavender commanded. I nod in understanding and set the fusion cannon back into the weapons racks. "Now that I think of it, leave the armor as well," she says. I snarl, the sound amplified by my speakers, then start getting out of armor, placing my pokeballs into my belt pouches instead, with some set in miniature form into my bracers or charm necklace instead.

"We'll be going by water mostly," Skadi says. I nod and release my first Gyarados, Dragonair, and Kingdra. After a short while, we are on our way, heading towards New Bark Town. Gyarados is proving the fastest, followed shortly by Kingdra and Dragonair. After Dragonair, Skadi's Mantine is the second fastest, and Connor's Blastoise is the slowest. Michael was luckily alive enough to recover, and has since healed to a state where he can travel, and is currently accompanying us on Skadi's Feraligatr. Skadi is originally from Johto, so has a decent selection of pokemon native to here. After three days, we arrive at New Bark Town, Connor's Wailord carrying us when necessary. He is a Hoenn native, but Wailord and his Blaziken are the only reminders he has of that place.

"Welcome all. I am Professor Elm, and you would be?" One man says, stepping forward from the small group at the shore. A few of the stay at home trainers.

"Michael the Wanderer," he groans, one of his still healing wounds aggravated as he dismounts.

"Jack Viridian," he says, obviously unhappy about being here.

"Lavender Valkyria," she declares.

"Connor Blackstorm," he practically commands that they recognize his name.

"Skadi the Frozen," she almost whispers, a voice carrying winter in it.

"Bane Inferno," I snarl, rage filling me at the sight of one of the group members. My mother, who condemned me to this. A life of constant wariness and being hunted.

"Ash Ketchum, get over here and stop using that silly name," she says. I wordlessly reach for a pokeball. Then I grab two other pokeballs and snarl out three chants in swift succession.

"Storms rumbling in the sky, ever thundering from on high, bring forth now your fury and might, descend to me, within human sight. Blizzards obscure every path, nowhere to turn in the mountain mist, yet power hides within the ice, ruling the snow, bringing the cold within mortal's sight," My voice rises to a furious roar for the last chant. "FIRE BURNS WITHIN THE EARTH, AND RAINS WITH FURY FROM MOUNTAINS WHOSE PEAKS ARE CLAIMED BY THE SKY, YET EVER NOW YOUR BURNING MIGHT SHOWS HUMANS THE WAY, SO I BEG OF YOU, HEAR NOW MY CRY! COME FORTH, O MIGHTY LORDS OF ICE, THUNDER, AND FIRE!" The three appear in roars of fury, prepared to do battle. Several people collapse under the weight of their legendary might. The air feels heavy with the weight of their rage.

"Ash Ketchum, get over here," my gene-donor commands. I growl in rage.

"Not happening, Delia Ketchum. I am Bane Inferno, the roaring flame instead of the dying embers. That name is no longer mine. You are no kin of mine, so be gone from this place, lest I unleash the wrath of the birds of fire, ice, and lightning upon you where you stand at this moment," I say.

"I am your mother, young man. I have all legal rights to you," she says. All of my group breaks down into roars of laughter.

"You gave up those rights the moment you removed my supervising professor from his position. I had to give up all family ties to anyone, losing my lineage, to continue as a trainer. Everything has a price. And this price was one I will gladly pay. There is no one who commands me anymore, no one who has a right to govern where I roam or what I do. Freedom is the gift. And my previous life was the price. All considered, I am content," I say.

"I am not letting you go so easily. You will return with me to Kanto. I have tickets for a ship, and we will arrive back in Kanto in a few days," she says. I instantly go onto the defensive.

"Inquisition," is all I say, but it is enough. We are all in battle mode. Light flashes as our pokemon appear.

"What?" Delia asks.

"You know what, Inquisitor. Or are you a simple lackey? Either way, I go nowhere with you. The Inquisition is currently killing every rogue they can find in Kanto, and I shall not be one of those who die," I respond.

"Blastoise, Hydro Cannon! Wailord, Hydro Pump!" Connor shouts.

"Mantine, Aurora Beam! Corsola, Spike Cannon! Cloyster, you use Spike Cannon too! Feraligatr, Hydro Cannon! Lanturn, use Thunder!" Skadi commands.

"Gyarados, Thunder as well! Zapdos, back it up with Rain Dance and then use Thunder too! Articuno, use Sheer Cold! Moltres, Thunderbolt! Kingdra, use Draco Meteor, and then add Dragon Pulse to it! Dragonair, you use Dragon Pulse as well! Tauros, stand by for battle!" I shout. Before we left Fuchsia City, we visited the Safari Zone. Every time I tried to catch something though, the Tauros got in the way. I kept on heading in there again and again, eventually depleting the Tauros herds enough that I could catch something else. Only the herd leader appears now luckily. I consider for a moment, then I declare: "Rapidash, Snorlax, stand by for battle as well!" The Rapidash were the second obstacle, also in a large herd and getting in the way. But I persevered. Delia turns to run.

"Take out the fleeing Inquisitor!" We command. The blasts of power roar forth from our pokemon. A psychic barrier appears in front of her however. A pink cat like pokemon is there. A psychic type, I instantly know due to my powers.

_"Move, let us deal with the one who seeks to kill us,__"_ I say. It gives off a feeling of surprise. Then it uses psychic on Moltres. _"So be it,"_ is all I say. This pokemon will survive. The Inquisitor, who still flees, will die. Then she releases a Mr. Mime and vanishes in a flash of teleportation. I curse, and the battle with the interfering psychic type begins. "Houndoom, Weavile, Honchkrow, stand by for battle!" I command. They appear. The opponent feels amused. I put a swift end to that. "Honchkrow, Weavile, Night Slash now! Houndoom, back them up with Dark Pulse, then use Crunch!" I command. Houndoom uses Dark Pulse, boxing the psychic type in, keeping it from teleporting through the dark type attack. The blast ceases, and the psychic type, which seems familiar, is hit by a double Night Slash. While still reeling, a Crunch connects, Houndoom biting down on its tail. It cries out in pain, and now I recognize it. Mew, and judging from the psychic feel of it, a young one. I call Houndoom off and move forward, taking out an Oran Berry as I do so.

"Mew?" It asks, tilting its head curiously. It flinches slightly as Houndoom comes closer, then I command Houndoom to stand down and move away. I offer the Mew the berry.

"Here. Take it. The others asked for it, but I will not capture an unwilling legend," I say, snap a salute to the legendary, then turn and return to the group. Or try to, anyways. I feel a pokeball lifted off my belt by Psychic. I turn and see it contact Mew. And it fails to respond. "That pokeball is occupied by my Golem. This one needs an occupant," I say, offering another pokeball. It lifts out of my hand and taps Mew, who flashes into light and vanishes within the confines. There is no struggle from the pokemon, and once more I snap a salute, then begin thinking of a summoning chant that will do for Mew. "Ever changing the ways of the minds, who knows its darkened paths, in rest mysterious, unknown and known, gone and present, who knows all things of chaos and order, come forth, O mighty lord of psychics," I chant, and throw the pokeball. Mew appears and floats over to me. I then see very clearly that it is a female. "Apologies, O mighty lady of psychics," I say, bowing slightly. Mew chirps happily, then steals my new hat. I start chasing after it, irritated by this game. But if it will get me the friendship of one of the most powerful psychic pokemon in existence, I will play Mew's games without pause for the next century if need be. As a familiar, Mew has great potential to amplify both of our powers and allow me access to turning psychic energy into pokemon attacks. For that ability, so rare, so highly prized, I will do anything.

"That's Mew!" Professor Elm says. He is instantly over there, examining Mew. Houndoom stalks forward, snarling at him after Mew chirps in discomfort. Then I see a needle in his hand and at one of Mew's main arteries. I don't think, I act. A wave of psychic force leaps into being from my hands, slamming into him and throwing him back. I stalk forward, stones cracking around me as my power flares in rage. I lift a hand, and he is raised into the air. I move to slam him back down, but Mew stops me. I take a look at his intentions, and they appear to have been benevolent. I lower my hand slowly, letting him drop to the ground the last foot though. He rises.

"Never touch my pokemon with needles without warning me first," I say, and he nods.

"So that is why you reacted so violently. Very well, I can understand that. Rather easily in fact. Several trainers react badly to such things. As compensation for not asking, might you be interested in a rare pokemon?" He asks.

"I would be indeed. My thanks for your generosity," I say. I am intrigued by what would be considered rare, and prepared to accept it if it is simply a starter. "Might I ask which pokemon it is?" I question.

"Of course. You see, I recently got a young Larvitar, but there is no one here experienced enough to raise it to its final pseudo-legendary evolution, the Dark/Rock type Tyranitar. It is very hard to find elsewhere, and I have been looking for a trainer for it, seeing as I wish to study a Tyranitar, which none of my sponsored trainers have or have the potential to raise from a Larvitar," he explains.

"You are offering to sponsor on a temporary basis my entire group?" I ask, astonished. That is an excellent offer for something so simple as this.

"Yes. But I may need help with some problem solving, as certain areas are being overrun by quickly reproducing wild pokemon, and there are few who can and will control these outbreaks. The pokemon need to be caught, and quickly, before entire towns are lost to their eating everything nearby," the professor says. I think about it for a second, then snap an extremely sharp salute. Laser levels, cry your hearts out. I just got more precise then you.

"Yes sir. It will be an honor to aid you, professor," I say. The others nod, some saluting, some bowing.

"Excellent. We can begin immediately. There has been an outbreak at a ranch near here, specifically an outbreak of the normal type pokemon Miltank and Stantler. Your services are required to deal with them," Elm says.

"Yes sir. Group, prepare to move out," I say. The others return their water types, draw their pokedexes, and sync them to the pokedex Elm just put forward, putting us on temporary registry as his trainers. Then we do a quick search for the location on the map function, find it, and move out with all possible speed, pokemon released for quick backup should it become necessary. My Golem, Skadi's Hitmontop, Connor's Blaziken, Michael's Venusaur, recently recovered from a dead rogue and reissued to provide him with a new pokemon, as only two of those staying with him survived the encounter with the Inquisition of Kanto, Lavender's Primeape, and finally Jack's Rhydon. I then mount up on the Rapidash I earlier released and set it at a even canter, deciding not to walk when I can ride and get there faster. Within six hours, we arrive.

"Hello, and who might you be?" A young girl asks. Probably the rancher's daughter. I snap a salute.

"Rogue battle team Inferno, under the command of Bane Inferno, temporarily registered as supervised by Professor Elm. We're here to clear out your ranch," I say.

"That answers what you are and your purpose, but who are you?"

"Bane Inferno," I say. I point to the others in turn. "Jack Viridian, Connor Blackstorm, Skadi the Frozen, Michael the Wanderer, and Lavender Valkyria, respectively," I introduce them. "Where are the wild pokemon we are sent to attend to ma'am? We'll see to them then be on our way," I inform her.

"You'll have to meet my father to finalize everything. And since my mother is making a large dinner in preparation for the trainers Professor Elm informed us would be arriving, you won't get away without eating with us," she says. "By the way, my name is Marie."

"Yes ma'am. We have our own supplies, and will not burden this ranch. We'll camp at the boundary of the main fence, and will enter solely to attend to these pokemon," I say, then signal for us to set camp where we are. We get out the tents, set up the firepit, and start getting out trail rations and pokemon food.

"No, mom won't stand for that. You're coming with me, whether you like it or not," Marie says.

"Ma'am, think of the reputation of the ranch. Having rogues associated with you cannot be good. We will remain outside, to make it appear as if we are simply passing through. We'll attend to the work under cover of darkness in an hour or two and leave before first light. That would be the best option," I say.

"Our reputation is already ruined. My brother decided to become a trainer, then he tried to abuse his pokemon and was killed by a Tauros goring him. He was a favorite among the humans here and they blame us for not teaching him how to deal with pokemon," she says.

"Our entrance would do you no harm?" I ask cautiously.

"No. It may even do some good. Rogues coming to our ranch for pokemon. Everyone knows you only take the strongest of the strong. So we look good, as if we raise the strongest pokemon around," Marie explains.

"We will enter then. The work begins at noon tomorrow. They would be most cautious at first light, but they will have settled down by then. Also, Michael is lazy due to wounds sustained. He got them fighting the Kanto Inquisition to cover our escape," I explain.

"I see. We have some medicines here that might help, if you want, sir," Marie says. "And all of you, just call me Marie, okay?" She asks us. A swift look is exchanged, a few flickering hand signals, then the orders are clear. The others nod in understanding.

"Then I am Bane," I say.

"As I am Michael to you and your kin," Michael declares.

"Just call me Skadi, and I'll be happy. I'm not much for formality, okay?" Skadi asks. Marie nods happily, then squeals when she sees the pokemon that just appeared by me in a flash of light.

"This is Mew," I say dryly.

"Jack, don't use sir, because then I think you're talking to my father," he says.

"Connor, and this is Lavender. I advise that on every day she isn't on her period, you avoid her. She is really calm at that time...OW!" The last is Connor screaming as Lavender kicks him in the groin, then stomps on it. All the males present wince.

"Connor, are you okay? Speak to me, old friend," Jack says frantically. He sends out a Chansey and commands it to use Restore on him. He stops groaning in agony a few minutes later.

"Is Lavender around?" Is the first thing he asks. She has headed for the house to announce us.

"No, she is gone," I say, then I see her incoming, close enough to hear the last comment by Connor.

"Then I'm fine. Now you see my point, don't you Marie? Avoid Lavender or be in agony, because she kicks hard and aims for the soft spots," Connor says.

"I get what you mean, sir. You shouldn't be so mean to him miss. He seems rather nice, after all," Marie intervenes. Lavender snarls and stalks forward. With a flash of light, my Raichu appears in front of her. She gulps for a second, knowing its destructive power, then pulls an abrupt about face and turns to tend to Connor. I nod in approval, and once Connor is up and able to move, I give the order to move towards the house. Several people from other nearby ranches have arrived at the house to exchange words with the owners here it seems, and when they see the black garbed battle team of rogue trainers advancing up the path, pokeballs close at hand, they move cautiously out of the way, showing the proper deference to our might.

"Ma! Pa! Some rogues have arrived, and their interested in acquiring some of the pokemon here!" Marie calls to two people who are at the tail end of that group. They turn curiously towards us.

"Rogue battle group Inferno, here on two pieces of business, involving the acquisition of pokemon and control of the swarming pokemon here. The second objective was given to us by Professor Elm in return for temporarily sponsoring us. We were informed that there may be a bit of food to supplement our trail rations by your daughter," I say, stepping forward. "I am Bane Inferno, in charge of this battle group. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"A pleasure indeed sir. We were expecting a lot more trainers to arrive, but hearing that a rogue battle group has diverted to here is excellent news, and there is a lot of food you will need to get down. We made enough to feed a small army of Snorlaxes," Marie's father says. "I'm Robert, by the way, and this is my wife Isabelle."

"Understood. We will see to the food with all due dispatch. Lavender, you are on guard however. We need to make sure our supplies are not stolen. This is punishment detail for unprovoked attack on another member of the group. Complain and it is solo guard for the next month, am I understood?" I ask.

"Yes sir. Crystal clear sir," Lavender says, realizing that she will not have her behavior tolerated now that we are formed into a proper battle group. Discipline is expected, especially with the standard rule of battle groups. The strongest is in charge, and his word is law. Disobey and the leader may do as he or she wishes to punish the disobedient rogue. I am actually being fairly merciful, as some leaders are tyrants. But so long as the group survives, that does not matter to most. We are practical people, not overly sentimental people. This allows us, for the most part, to push our pokemon and ourselves to the limit, and thus grow stronger then most would expect. I silently order Connor to take her her food, as a minor punishment for his comment that started the altercation in the first place. He sees my signal, and responds immediately in the affirmative. We then proceed, moving towards the house, only to be halted by the visitors that had previously deferred to us.

"Move," I snarl. I say no more, continuing towards the house, expecting them to move before things go bad. They refuse to, and my hand drops to my belt, as does Skadi's, who is my second. "I believe I told you to move. You are still in my way. Give a reason, or be our foe," I dictate.

"Son, these people got their own son killed. I know you rogues might be interested in strong pokemon, but they don't raise them strong here. They didn't teach their son how to deal with strong pokemon, and because of that, when he finally managed to overcome their flawed teachings and force his pokemon to grow strong, instead of coddling them, he died because he had never been around one that strong, and didn't know how to control it. Their coddling the pokemon they raise makes sure they will never be strong, and their only heir is the one who paid for their negligence," he says. I respond in a somewhat courteous manner.

"The pokemon they raise here may lack in strength, but they will not have had time to raise most of the swarming pokemon, thus leaving us with a chance to turn them from unworked clay into strong pokemon of our own. They will be unworked clay, and we will fashion them into strong companions. Besides, I feel that it is best I judge for myself, seeing as I am a battle group leader," I say.

"Fair enough, I'll agree with you on that point. And their son had plenty of trainers around to ask for help, he was just too proud to do so. I personally don't blame them for that. He was too arrogant though, and I feel they should not have let him become a trainer," another person says.

"Arrogance, not a good thing. Some harshness is good for a pokemon, pushing them to the limits, but taking it to abuse is sanctioned by no rogue. If it was confirmed as a case of pokemon abuse, had I met him, he would have died by my hand," I say. The others nod. "Tell me, how old was he?" I ask, curious.

"He was 17 when he died, and set out on his journey only that year," the first person who spoke said. "Such a shame a young person's life was cut so short, and a true tragedy that such a fine young man had to die when he had so much potential," he says.

"And how many of the young women in this area showed signs of a drastic change in personality a year or two before he left? Were any of them relieved at his going?" I ask, curious and suspicious now. If I am right, then he would be dead anyways.

"My daughter was extremely relieved when he left. She was quite outgoing a couple years ago, she was one of the girls who liked the young man in fact. Then she changed drastically one day and only recently started returning to her old self," another person, this one a female, says.

"I think I know why she was relieved when he left," I say.

"Why? There was no reason for that relief, she was probably just being silly or something," the first person says. "But tell us your theory anyways," he says condescendingly.

"He was arrogant. Also, he probably appreciated the fairer sex immensely, correct? And he would sometimes acquire something without an explanation, and perhaps a theft would have been reported?" I ask. Marie nods to both questions. "He very likely stole something irreplaceable from her by force, then," I say, turning. I can almost hear the gears going in their heads, the gasp as the first of them figures it out. "Marie, you would likely know. Was your brother a man who would force himself upon a woman?" I ask, still calm externally. She considers, then nods. I nod grimly, my rage just barely showing. "I see. Did he do such a thing at any point?" I question, fearing the answer. Again, she nods. This time, the gasps are of horror. Again, I nod, my rage clear now. "Did he ever do anything of that order to you?" I ask, and this answer I want to be negative extremely badly. I just met her, but I can tell Marie is an innocent. She considers for a moment, then slowly nods.

"Yes. I was the first he did that to," Marie says extremely quietly. Her parent's faces are masks of horror.

"If he still lived, I would kill him. As it is, when we move on, you go with us. Maybe we can help you resolve anything," I say, but it is very clearly not a request. She nods. The people around her are just starting to get over the shock of finding out what their golden child was like. I promptly march forward, battle group Inferno in my wake, and they clear the path. Marie's parents are by her side now, comforting her as she breaks down, probably from remembrance. I personally care little about that at the moment. When she is calmer, and the wound starting to heal as her family rallies to her side, I will take an interest. But right now, she is weak. A rogue learns quickly to despise weakness, in all its forms. We cannot afford it, if we are to survive. So I'll care later. But for now, it is enough to know that there is a hearth waiting for me, and a path clearly marked for my battle group to follow.

**_Like this chapter? Hate it? Review and tell me. Thanks._**


	12. Chapter 12

_**Fight**** to the end**_

_**A Pokemon fanfic**_

_**Bane POV**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon**_

_**Chapter 11**_

"Sir, were you serious when you said Marie could move on when you do?" Robert asks after we head inside the house.

"I was. A rogue battle leader has no time for jokes. We have time only for the strength of the group," I respond.

"But you're so young to abandon the fun of youth, why doesn't someone else lead?" Isabelle asks.

"Rogue doctrine. The strongest leads, and due to my possession of multiple legendary pokemon, I am the strongest in the view of the higher leveled members of our little organization. We have formed a loose chain of command due to necessity. All battle groups follow orders from the highest level of our members. I was appointed and have proven myself against challengers. Thus I am the leader, and my youth matters not. Considering everything, I likely won't see my thirtieth birthday. Rogues are too hated by most," I tell her, and she blanches at the dose of reality.

"I see. Well, I'll show you to the dining room then, sir," Robert says.

"My name is Bane. Sir is not a title I am accustomed to those who are not of my battle group using," I respond. I have retrieved my armor through teleportation, and am now covered in plate, with a skull helm and glowing red eyes for a face.

"You don't use the name of a rogue battle group leader when they are in full combat armor and hefting a fusion cannon, sir," Marie says. I laugh, and it comes out more as a snarl.

"I see. My full battle group is in armor now, and only I am called sir. Is it due to the authority of my position? Or perhaps because of the fusion cannon I am carrying?" I ask.

"The authority, though the fusion cannon helps," Robert replies. As I pass the other members of the battle group, I see Marie in armor as well. She isn't wearing the helm, and it isn't the normal precise fit that the rest of our armor is, but she is a rogue battle group member now, in name at least. I nod approvingly.

"Who gave her rogue combat armor?" I ask.

"Sir, I did. I apologize if I was not to, but I felt it was appropriate," Skadi says.

"You did well Skadi. She belongs in armor. Marie!" I suddenly shout.

"Yes, Bane?" She asks. Skadi elbows her.

"You don't call him Bane, you call him sir unless he says otherwise," she hisses.

"Yes, sir?" Marie asks.

"Your armor is missing two things. Name them," I command.

"My helm?" I nod in response. "I can't think of anything else," Marie says. I tilt one of my shoulders towards her to show the other item that is missing.

"The heraldry of battle group Inferno is what is missing, as well as any personal heraldry you might wish to use. See to it that those are prominently displayed on your pauldrons by the end of tomorrow," I order, and she nods.

"Yes sir, as ordered, sir!" Marie shouts. I look at the heraldry of my battle group for a moment, the image of flames coming forth from an open pokeball. A raging inferno surrounds the pokeball, with the body of a black Gyarados emerging from the fires and wrapping its serpentine body in a ring around the flames. Soon it will be on Marie's shoulder, and she will be an official member, bound to Inferno until either a professor sponsors her, her family accepts her back, or she dies. I nod in approval of her enthusiasm, then turn, boots thudding heavily on the ground as I head towards the dining room. Battle group Inferno follows, with Marie donning the helm that was hanging by her side. The helm itself is shaped like a Houndoom's head, and the glaring red eyes would be unnerving to someone who isn't a rogue.

_**Timeskip: The next morning**_

"What breeds of pokemon need to be brought under control, and how many should we bring in?" I ask.

"We need you to bring the Stantler, Kangaskhan, Miltank, and Ditto under control. Also, some fighting types are around here in high numbers that need to be controlled. Tyrogue and Heracross are the ones you're looking for. Finally, Quagsire, Totodile, Chikorita, and Cyndaquil are presenting major problems right now. Though we would appreciate it if you stopped the lake from being filled with Corsola. Some of them got here, we don't know how, and now the lake is being filled up with a coral reef in miniature," Robert says.

"Understood. We will deal with these problems to the best of our ability. From what I understand of their preferred habitats, we will find Totodile, Quagsire, and Corsola in the lake. Chikorita and Cyndaquil are likely to be in the tall grass, while Stantler will be in the woods. Miltank prefer the open plains, and Khangaskhan are most likely to be found there as well. Tyrogue will likely be training in the hills, and Heracross will be found in the forest. Ditto will be trickier to track down due to their ability to shapeshift, but I am fairly certain the majority of their population will be found near the paths the pokemon have created. That way, they can see other pokemon species often, which would allow them to practice their transformations and socialize more. We will range out, using this compound as a base. The lake is the furthest away, right in the middle of the hills. To get to the hills, we will have to go over the plains, through the forest, get through the tall grass, then enter the hills themselves. There are several streams in which we might find the water pokemon as well," I say, after studying the maps of the ranch. "Three days is the likely time it will take to complete this assignment," I decide and inform our hosts.

"On the honor of battle group Inferno, we will need only three days to finish this task," The rest of the battle group declares. The formal acceptance and declaration is completed. Sometimes, a rogue battle group is hired for something like this, and that declaration became a formal part of a battle group's accepting a task eventually.

"Excellent," Isabelle says. "You can begin whenever you want."

"Very well," I respond, then give the order the battle group is waiting for. "Battle group Inferno! Move out!" I command, and they obey. We fall into a loose V formation, heading out of the compound and onto the plains. I draw a pokeball, and the others mirror my action. There is work to do, and we are prepared to do it.

_**Like the chapter? Hate it? Please review and give me your opinions. Sorry the chapter is so short, but I wanted to get it out. Anyone who reviews, please give me your opinion on whether or not I should show Battle Group Inferno bringing the ranch under control.**_


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